Mississippi residents in DeSoto County file lawsuit over majority-Black judicial subdistrict
Summary
Several residents of DeSoto County, Mississippi, including a county supervisor and former Republican gubernatorial candidate, have filed a federal lawsuit. They argue that the state’s creation of majority-Black judicial subdistricts violates the Voting Rights Act by limiting the voting power of most DeSoto County residents based on race.Key Facts
- The lawsuit challenges legislative decisions that created majority-Black subdistricts for electing judges in DeSoto County.
- An additional judge was added for the Circuit Court and Chancery Court, each elected from majority-Black subdistricts.
- Plaintiffs claim this system discriminates against about three-fourths of DeSoto County voters by race.
- The lawsuit names the State Board of Election Commissioners, including the Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General, as defendants.
- The creation of judicial subdistricts started in the late 1980s and early 1990s to help Black voters elect judges of their choice.
- The current lawsuit is pending before U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, who previously ruled on a related Voting Rights Act case in Mississippi.
- State Senator Mike McLendon supports the lawsuit, saying DeSoto County was unfairly targeted by the law.
- The legislative changes in 2025 aimed to reflect population changes and court caseloads while enabling majority-Black subdistricts.
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