Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced plans to call a special legislative session to redraw the three judicial districts used to elect justices to the Mississippi Supreme Court. The session will begin 21 days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, a case that could significantly affect how electoral maps are drawn nationwide, particularly regarding the Voting Rights Act and the role of race in redistricting decisions. Reeves argued that lawmakers should wait until the Court clarifies the legal standards before taking action.
The governor explained that during Mississippi’s regular legislative session, lawmakers discussed redrawing the state’s judicial districts in response to a federal court ruling, but the matter was delayed because the case is under appeal and tied to pending Supreme Court decisions. Reeves said the Legislature deserves the first opportunity to redraw the maps once the Court sets new rules. He also expressed hope that the Court would reaffirm the principle of equality under the law and reject racial classifications in mapmaking.
The issue stems from a 2025 decision by U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, who ruled that Mississippi’s current Supreme Court district map violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The map has remained unchanged since 1987. Aycock found that the Central District—which includes majority-Black regions in the Mississippi Delta and the Jackson metropolitan area—diluted Black voters’ ability to elect candidates of their choice. Mississippi appealed the ruling to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which paused proceedings until the Supreme Court decides Louisiana v. Callais.
Mississippi’s Supreme Court consists of nine justices, with three elected from each of the Northern, Central, and Southern judicial districts. Any redrawing of those districts could significantly reshape the state judiciary’s electoral landscape.
The Callais case focuses on whether creating a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana to comply with the Voting Rights Act amounts to unconstitutional racial gerrymandering under the 14th and 15th Amendments. Because the outcome could redefine Section 2 enforcement, states across the South are closely watching the decision.
Adding to speculation, former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer claimed on a podcast that the Supreme Court may already have reached a decision that would dramatically alter Southern maps in ways favorable to Republicans, suggesting Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act could be weakened or overturned. However, no official ruling has yet been released.
