The incoming legislators make up a Legislature that is still more white and poorer than the Mississippi they represent. Although the Legislature is not the same as the state, many districts were given new representation by the November 2019 statewide election. The 2020-2024 term will see a slightly larger number of African American and female legislators than in previous terms. The demographic breakdown of Mississippi’s approximately 2.9 million population is shown in Census data. The state has 52 percent of its population female, compared to 16% in the Legislature. It is also 58 percent white in the Legislature (roughly 68%) and 38 percent black in the Legislature (31%). Three seats in the House that were previously held by women, in districts 14 and 70, were now held by men. However, seven female members have been added to the chamber. Five of the five women in the House replaced men and two women who had previously held that seat. The majority of these changes took place within their respective parties with the exception of Shanda Yates (District 64) and Hester Jackson Mcray (District 40), who each flipped seats previously held by Republicans. McCray will become the first African American to be elected to DeSoto County’s Legislature in modern times and the third African American since Reconstruction to represent a majority-white district in the Legislature. Democrats saw a 21 percent increase in black members to the Senate. This is not due to more African Americans being voted into Senate. Four seats that were previously held by black Democrats were flipped by white Republicans in the districts of 5 (J.P. Wilemon), 8, (Russell Jolly), 37, (Bob Dearing), 48 (Deborah Dawkins), which resulted in fewer white Democrats. The Senate as a whole saw a slight rise in its female representation. Three Republican women, Kathy Chism and Nicole Akins Boyd won districts that were previously held by white Democrats. Melanie Sojourner took over Willie Simmons’ seat. *Editor’s Note: Rep. Kevin Horan, and Rep. Michael Ted Evans changed from the Democrat party to Independent after this story was published. This story has been updated.