Jackson, Mississippi — A federal judge on Friday ordered Mississippi to hold special elections for its Supreme Court after ruling that the state’s decades-old judicial map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting the voting power of Black residents.
U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock directed the Mississippi Legislature to redraw the Supreme Court district map, first enacted in 1987, by the end of the 2026 legislative session. Once a new map is approved, Aycock said the court will move quickly to meet deadlines for special elections, potentially as soon as November 2026. She said she will decide later which seats will be subject to those elections.
The ruling stems from a 2022 lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued that the current map splits the Mississippi Delta, a historically Black region, weakening Black voters’ influence in judicial elections. Mississippi is nearly 40% Black, yet only four Black justices have ever served on the state’s nine-member Supreme Court, all holding the same Central District seat and initially appointed by governors.
Aycock’s decision comes as Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act faces renewed scrutiny at the U.S. Supreme Court, where its scope is being challenged. State officials are appealing the August ruling, and related proceedings are paused while higher courts consider similar cases.
The decision adds new urgency after Gov. Tate Reeves recently appointed replacements for two justices elevated to federal judgeships, underscoring how court composition could soon change under a new map, according to NPR.
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