NAACP sues Mississippi over legislative redistricting plan

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A new lawsuit says Mississippi is perpetuating a legacy of racial discrimination with a legislative redistricting plan. The Mississippi NAACP and five Black residents filed the federal suit Tuesday. It challenges state House and Senate districts that are scheduled to be used in the 2023 election. The suit comes six weeks before candidates’ qualifying deadline of Feb. 1. Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% Black. In the redistricting plan adopted this year, 15 of the 52 Senate districts and 42 of the 122 House districts are majority-Black. Those make up 29% of the Senate districts and 34% of the House districts. The lawsuit says legislators could have drawn four more majority-Black districts in the Senate and and three more in the House.