Mississippi Governor Calls Special Session to Redraw Judicial Districts Following Expected Supreme Court Ruling

JACKSON, Mississippi — April 21, 2026

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has announced he will convene the state legislature in a special session to redraw the three judicial districts used for electing justices to the Mississippi Supreme Court.

The session is scheduled to begin 21 calendar days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues its decision in the case of Louisiana v. Callais. That pending ruling is expected to address important questions under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 regarding race-based districting.

Governor Reeves stated that the legislature needs the opportunity to draw new maps once the legal framework is clarified by the nation’s highest court. He noted that the current districts have not been updated since 1987 and that a federal district judge’s order requiring changes has been appealed and stayed pending the Supreme Court’s decision in the Louisiana case.

The governor emphasized that federal law and state constitutional principles require the legislature to have the first opportunity to redraw maps after major legal developments. He expressed hope that the U.S. Supreme Court will reaffirm the principle that citizens should not be classified by race in electoral maps, describing such classifications as “odious to a free people.”

The current structure divides the state into Northern, Central, and Southern judicial districts, with three justices elected from each. A 2025 federal district court ruling found that the Central District, which includes majority-Black areas in the Delta and Jackson regions, dilutes Black voting strength under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling came after a lawsuit filed by the ACLU, the ACLU of Mississippi, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and private attorneys.

The state appealed the decision to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which paused proceedings while awaiting the outcome in Louisiana v. Callais. That case examines whether creating a second majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana to comply with the Voting Rights Act constitutes an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.

Legal observers note that the Mississippi Supreme Court’s eventual ruling on the state’s redistricting amendment could have broader implications for how states handle judicial and congressional maps. The amendment, which narrowly passed a recent referendum, would allow the legislature to redraw congressional districts mid-decade. However, a lower court has blocked certification, citing procedural and constitutional issues, and the state Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments soon.

The developments reflect ongoing national debates over redistricting, the Voting Rights Act, and the balance between legislative authority and judicial oversight. Both parties have engaged in map-drawing efforts in states they control, with significant implications for control of the U.S. House in upcoming elections.

Governor Reeves’ decision to call the special session underscores the state’s intent to address redistricting once the legal parameters are clarified by the U.S. Supreme Court. The outcome could influence not only judicial elections in Mississippi but also the broader conversation on race and representation in electoral maps across the South.