Federal judge denies attempt to strike down Mississippi county’s majority-Black judicial districts

A federal judge has ruled against efforts to stop the election of county judges from majority-Black districts in Mississippi. The decision comes from a lawsuit filed by Robert Foster, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate and DeSoto County supervisor, and others who argue the state's creation of majority-Black subdistricts for the judiciary violates the Voting Rights Act.

The case emerged after the U.S. Supreme Court's May Louisiana v. Callais decision weakened protections for minority voters during redistricting. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock denied the request to halt the subdistricts from being implemented, citing that the plaintiffs had not provided sufficient evidence to warrant judicial involvement.

The lawsuit claims the Legislature added DeSoto County an additional circuit judge and chancery judge through the redistricting, but these positions had to be filled by candidates from majority-Black subdistricts. Aycock stated the plaintiffs did not present enough evidence to justify the court's involvement. Even though the judge denied the request, the litigation can still continue, and Aycock may order the parties to submit new evidence and briefs.