NAACP, five black residents file lawsuit against Miss. redistricting plan

MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – A new lawsuit argues that a redistricting plan approved by the Mississippi legislature does not accurately reflect the state’s population, and discriminates against Black voters.

The Mississippi NAACP and five Black residents filed the federal suit Tuesday.

It challenges state House and Senate districts scheduled to be used in the 2023 election.

Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% black.

In the redistricting plan adopted this year by the state’s Republican-led legislature, 15 of the 52 Senate districts and 42 of the 122 House districts are majority-black.

That’s only 29% of the Senate districts and 34% of the House districts.

The lawsuit said legislators could have drawn four more majority-black Senate districts and three more in the House.

The suit comes six weeks before the candidates’ qualifying deadline of Feb. 1.

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