Federal judge denies attempt to strike down Mississippi county’s majority-Black judicial districts
A federal judge, at least for now, has denied a request to prevent a majority-Black section of voters from electing new county judges months before the election begins. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed by Robert Foster, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate and current DeSoto County supervisor, and others who claim the Legislature’s creation of majority-Black…
A federal judge has ruled against an attempt to halt the election of majority-Black judicial districts in Mississippi, despite a lawsuit filed by former Republican gubernatorial candidate Robert Foster and others. The lawsuit argues that the creation of these districts, as mandated by the State Board of Election Commissioners, violates the Voting Rights Act.
The ruling was made by U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock, who expressed that there was insufficient evidence to justify the court's involvement, given the upcoming November election date. The case stems from the U.S. Supreme Court's May Louisiana v. Callais decision, which reduced protections for minority voters during redistricting.
Foster and DeSoto County residents contend that the Legislature expanded DeSoto County's judiciary representation by creating majority-Black subdistricts for judge elections, despite the district being predominantly white.
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