Hundreds gather in Mississippi to protest Republican redistricting: ‘This fight is familiar territory’

Key Points:

• Hundreds gathered opposite the Mississippi state capitol to protest Republican-led efforts to redraw electoral maps favoring their party, following the Supreme Court's weakening of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais.
• Governor Tate Reeves initially called for a special session to redraw maps but canceled it, expecting lawmakers to complete redistricting between now and the 2027 elections without a formal session.
• The Mississippi legislature’s joint redistricting committee, predominantly white and Republican, held a series of public hearings culminating in a packed session in Jackson, where citizens voiced concerns about voting rights and historical disenfranchisement.
• Speakers at the rally and hearing highlighted the long history of voter suppression in Mississippi, linking current redistricting efforts to past discriminatory practices, and emphasized the importance of civic engagement to protect voting rights.
• The full legislature is expected to meet in a special session later this year to redraw state legislative maps, with particular focus on targeting Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson’s district ahead of the 2028 elections.