The Mississippi Legislature must approve the maps. NOTE: Scroll down to the bottom to view the Senate and House maps. While there were some changes made to the maps that were approved Sunday afternoon by the Senate, the 52-member Senate will retain 15 Black majority districts while the 122-member House will keep the other 42. According to the U.S. Census the state’s Black population stands at 38% and the white population at 59%, respectively. Based on state and federal law, the Legislature must redraw all 174 House and Senate district every 10 years in order to match the 2020 U.S. Census population shifts. In the days ahead of April 3, the full House and Senate will be reviewing the maps. The plans were approved by committee on Sunday afternoon. There was not much debate. This could change as the plans are being debated in the full chambers. Members have more time to assess how the changes affect their re-election efforts as well as the partisan makeup within the Legislature. Redistricting is often viewed as party politics. The redrawn map could provide an opportunity for one political party to gain seats. Republicans held large advantages in both legislative chambers, and so controlled the redistricting process. They seemed to be content with the status quo map. Melanie Sojourner (R-Natchez), considered one of the more conservative members of the Senate, was placed with Albert Butler (D-Port Gibson) in what will become a 60% Black majority district. One district in southwest Mississippi was eliminated by the combining Butler’s and Sojourners districts. A new district was created in the heavily Republican area in Rankin and Smith. The Governor. Tate Reeves was not actually involved in redistricting. He stated on social media that “any plan that reduces districts where Republicans can win in favor of more easily Democrat wins should never be proposed — much less adopted — by either chamber.” Dean Kirby, R-Pearl who led the redistricting effort of the upper chamber, said that merging the southwest Mississippi districts and creating the new district within Rankin and Smith counties made the district more Republican. Kirby spoke of Sojourner’s former district and said that it had been home to a Democratic senator for 36 years. “Because there was a decline in population, and to keep the number of Democratic — major minority — and Republican districts, that district was moved…. We moved Sojourner’s district to a stronger, one of the strongest, Republican districts in the state.” Kirby said, “I think most people were satisfied with their districts.” There were probably four to five issues. “I’d say 90% of them were happy with their districts… I think it’s a fair program… It’s probably what not everyone wanted but it’s a fair program.” The House moved District 20 in Itawamba and Lee counties to DeSoto County in northwest Mississippi, and District 33 in North-Central Mississippi to Harrison County on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Jim Beckett (R-Bruce), Joint Redistricting Chairman said, “You can’t change where people live or move.” “Those two counties DeSoto, Harrison, each grew more than 20,000 people. They grow so fast that others start losing population. It causes a huge shift.” Long-term House member Tommy Reynolds (D-Water Valley) represents District 33, while Chris Brown (R-Nettleton) represents District 20. Both of them are not running for reelection. Reynolds is one of the two Democrats who represent white majority districts in the House. It could give Republicans a chance to win a seat on Florida’s Gulf Coast with the move of the district. John Read, a long-serving Rep. from Gautier, stated that his district didn’t change much and that he wasn’t worried about it. Read stated that “in my district, they cannot go south, since you hit water.” “You can’t travel east because you hit water… Mine is shrinking but still at the same percentages. It doesn’t matter – you just need to get out there, run, knock on doors. You can either be sent back or stay home. CLICK HERE for the Senate map. CLICK HERE for the House map. To support this important work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today.