The court-ordered contests follow a successful lawsuit filed by the Mississippi NAACP, which argued that legislative maps drawn by lawmakers in 2022 unlawfully diluted Black voting strength.
A three-judge federal panel agreed, requiring lawmakers to redraw several Senate and House districts ahead of this year’s elections.
The changes led to new majority-Black districts in parts of DeSoto County, Hattiesburg, and Chickasaw County — areas where the court found Black voters had been historically denied a fair opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
While 14 districts were redrawn in total, only seven have competitive primaries on Tuesday. The remaining races either have unopposed candidates or will be decided in the November general election.
Charles Taylor, executive director of the Mississippi State Conference NAACP, said the new maps are a significant step toward fairer representation in the state.
“What we're seeing is that people are excited for the opportunity to get folks that look like them, who connect to them both culturally and in community, to represent them as a state legislator,” Taylor said.
The timing of the primary elections is also notable: they come just two days before the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act being signed into law. Taylor says the civil rights milestone underscores the continued relevance of federal voting protections, especially amid ongoing legal battles over redistricting in states like Texas and Alabama.
“We won't be satisfied until every Mississippian and every community has equal voice in all levels of government,” Taylor said.
Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Runoff elections, if needed, will take place Sept. 2, with the general election set for Nov. 4.
