U.S. Judge Orders Special Elections for Mississippi Supreme Court Over Electoral MapA U.S. District Judge on Friday ordered special elections for the Mississippi Supreme Court. This decision follows an earlier finding that the electoral map utilized for selecting justices violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Background on the RulingIn August, U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock mandated that Mississippi redraw its judicial map, originally enacted in 1987. The judge concluded that the existing configuration diminishes the electoral influence of Black voters. The recent ruling provides the Mississippi Legislature until the conclusion of its 2026 regular session to establish a new map. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, a provision that allows for challenges against racially discriminatory election practices, is currently subject to a challenge at the U.S. Supreme Court. Special Election TimelineJudge Aycock stated that upon legislative approval of a new map, she would act promptly to meet any necessary deadlines for conducting special elections in November 2026. The judge also indicated a deferral on deciding which specific seats would be subject to a special election until after the new map's adoption. The Lawsuit and RepresentationThe order stems from a 2022 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The lawsuit asserted that the current map divides Mississippi's Delta region
—a historically Black demographic area
—thereby reducing the Black vote in the Central District. Ari Savitzky, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, noted in a statement that Mississippi's population is nearly 40% Black, yet the nine-member Supreme Court has never had more than one Black Justice. Judge Aycock's August ruling further highlighted that only four Black individuals have served on Mississippi's Supreme Court. All of these individuals held the same seat in the Central District and were initially appointed to the position by a sitting governor. Appeals and AppointmentsThe Mississippi Secretary of State's Office is appealing Judge Aycock's August ruling. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has suspended its proceedings pending the outcomes of the U.S. Supreme Court case and other related litigation. Neither the Mississippi Secretary of State nor the Attorney General's offices provided immediate comments when requested. In December, two Mississippi Supreme Court justices were appointed to federal judgeships. Governor Tate Reeves will appoint replacements to serve until newly elected justices can take office. In Mississippi, Supreme Court elections are nonpartisan.