Attorneys argue over whether Mississippi legislative maps dilute Black voting power

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Federal judges are hearing arguments over whether Mississippi’s legislative maps are diluting the power of Black voters. Lawmakers adjusted the 122 state House districts and 52 Senate districts in 2022 to reflect population changes shown by the Census. The NAACP and several Black residents are suing the state. They say legislators could have drawn four additional majority-Black districts in the Senate and three additional ones in the House. Attorneys for the state say voter behavior in Mississippi is driven by party affiliation, not race. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Under the current maps, 29% of Senate districts and 34% of House districts are majority-Black.