Mississippi

Redistricting Websites

District Statistics Reports

NCSL Profile

1. Constitutional Citations

 
a) Congressional Redistricting:
None
b) Legislative Redistricting:
Article 13, § 254

2. Statutory or Other Citations 

 
a) Description of Current Congressional Districts:
Smith v. Clark, No. 3:01-CV-855WS, 189 F. Supp. 2d 548, 559 (S.D. Miss. Feb. 26, 2002), aff’d sub nom. Branch v. Smith, 538 U.S. 254 (Mar. 31, 2003)
b) Description of Current Legislative Districts:
Senate: J.R. No. 201 (Mar. 26, 2002)
House: J.R. No. 1 (Mar. 26, 2002)
c) Districting Principles or Procedure:
Miss. Code Ann. §§ 5-3-101, 5-3-121 to -129, 5-3-91 to -103

3. Congressional Districts

 
a) Present Number:
4
b) Prospective Number after 2010 Census:

4. State Legislative Districts

 
a) Senate
 
Number of Districts:
52
Number of Multimember Districts:
0
Largest Number of Seats in a District:
1
b) House
 
Number of Districts:
122
Number of Multimember Districts:
0
Largest Number of Seats in a District:
1
c) House Districts Nested within Senate Districts?
No

5. Redistricting Requirements

 
a) Initial Responsibility for Drawing Congressional Districts
Legislature
b) Initial Responsibility for Drawing Legislative Districts:
Legislature
c) Legislative Committee Responsible for Redistricting:
Legislative: Standing Joint Legislative Committee on Reapportionment
Congressional: Standing Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting
d) Use Apportionment Board or Commission?
Yes, backup.
Chief justice of Supreme Court is chair, attorney general, secretary of state, speaker of the House, president pro tem of the Senate.
e) Gubernatorial Veto Power over Congressional Plan?
Yes
f) Gubernatorial Veto Power over Legislative Plan?
No

6. Redistricting Deadlines

 
a) Congressional Deadline:
30 days prior to convening of next regular session following release of census counts.
Basis for Deadline:
Statute
Effect of Failure to Meet Deadline:
Statutes are silent.
b) Legislative Deadline:
Must redistrict at regular session the second year following 2010 census.
Basis for Deadline:
Article 13, § 254
Effect of Failure to Meet Deadline:
Mandatory special session of legislature If that fails, special commission must draw plan.

7. Voting Rights Act Information for the 2000s

 
Preclearance Required?
Yes
Justice Department Objection to Plans?
No

8. State Contacts

James F. (Ted) Booth
General Counsel
PEER Committee
P.O. Box 1204
Jackson, MS 39215-1204
601/359-1226
601/359-1420 Fax
ted.booth@peer.state.ms.us