The U.S. Census Bureau released detailed information on Mississippi. Our Chism Strategies Director of Voter Targeting, Brannon Miller, did a quick analysis on the implications toward redistricting. We will keep pouring over the numbers, but we wanted you to have this now. The population changes for each legislative district are noted in the maps below. Here are the highlights:
Population Exodus
- Delta population is way down, and the area is likely to lose one House seat and possibly two.
- The only “Delta” seat to gain population is SD 22, but 100% of the gains were in Madison County. (Note: the Census used the old version of SD 22, not the post-court-ordered version. But that likely won’t change much in terms of total population.)
- City of Jackson likely to lose a House seat.
- Only 9 of 42 State House districts with majority African American populations now have populations that are within the 5% legally allowable deviation. The rest are below their needed population level.
- Northeast MS lost enough population to complicate redistricting there but creative map drawing may prevent a loss of seats.
Healthy Growth
- The Jackson suburbs gain at least one seat and maybe two.
- There have been huge gains in Madison County—HD 73 (Jill Ford, Rep) now has a population 50% larger than the ideal.
- Desoto County likely to gain a House seat.
- The Coast (and specifically Harrison County) is likely to gain a House seat
