Community input vital to the redistricting process

July 16, 2021

Policy Associate

With the 2020 census complete, it now falls to the Mississippi Legislature to draw new districts for federal, state and local elections. After a contested census process that delayed information, the Mississippi Legislature has a shortened timeline to draw districts and solicit community input. To that end, the Legislature has set the following dates for public hearings around the state:

Aug. 5 in Meridian at the Meridian Community College McCain Theater
Aug. 6 in Tupelo at the Itawamba Community College Belden Center
Aug. 9 in Senatobia at the Northwest Community College Haraway Center
Aug. 11 in Itta Bena at the Mississippi Valley State University William A. Butts Social Science Building
Aug. 12 in Starkville at the Mississippi State University Hunter Henry Center
Aug. 16 in Natchez at the Alcorn State University Business School Auditorium
Aug. 18 in Gulfport at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Harrison County Campus Fine Arts Auditorium
Aug. 19 in Hattiesburg at the University of Southern Mississippi Joe Paul Theater in the Thad Cochran Center
Aug. 23 in Jackson at the Mississippi Capitol, Room 216

It is crucial for people to attend these hearings to educate legislators on the composition and concerns of their communities regarding proposed boundaries.

There are excellent tools available online to assist the public with drawing districts and communities, such as districtr.org. Though redistricting is a complex process, there are a few questions that the public can ask to gauge the extent to which the redistricting process is working for them. Here are some questions recommended by the All About Redistricting website:

Community input

Is the data used to draw the lines publicly available?
Before the maps are made public, are there hearings to ensure input from constituents about community boundaries that would yield better representation? Is input from those hearings incorporated in the draft maps?
Is there a mechanism for feedback about problems after draft maps are produced?
Is the public invited to submit full or partial plans, or to comment on drafts?

Transparency during the process

Do the decision-makers meet in public to work through their redistricting decisions?
Is there any limit on private conversations about plans, particularly with incumbent elected officials?
Does the redistricting body attempt to explain why they drew the districts as they did?

District composition

Will the people who draw the lines run for office in the districts they draw?
Do the people who draw the lines reasonably reflect the diversity of the jurisdiction, to account for different views on where the lines should be drawn?
Does the redistricting body have a reasonable partisan balance, or a voting rule designed to encourage compromise?

Redistricting results

Has a sizable minority population been “cracked” into more than one district or “packed” into one district?
If communities and neighborhoods were cut apart or kept together, is there a sensible reason?
Was a district carved around an incumbent or challenger’s house? Was territory shifted in a way that makes it much more difficult for a candidate to win an election, and if so, does that territory shift make sense for another reason?Given the past political preferences of voters within each district, do the new districts give a substantial advantage to one party or another reasonably reflect the overall political balance of the state?

It is important to communicate to the legislators where fair boundaries lie and where community members think boundaries are unreasonable. It is well within the constitutional rights of any citizen of Mississippi to voice their concerns to a legislator regarding the districts that will determine their elections for the next 10 years. After the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder, and the court’s more recent decision in Brnovich v. DNC, community input in electoral districts has become even more important. A community’s electoral district boundaries can determine not only who they vote for but also how they receive federal aid in an emergency or state funding for infrastructure projects.

Members of the Mississippi Joint Congressional Redistricting Committee are listed below, with their contact information linked.

House

Rep. Jim Beckett (Co-chair)

Rep. Edward Blackmon Jr.