Opinion
CIVIL ACTION NO. 3:01-CV-855WS
February 4, 2002
ORDER
Attached hereto is this court's congressional redistricting plan for the State of Mississippi, along with an analysis thereof. This court proposes to implement this plan absent the timely preclearance of the redistricting plan adopted by the State Chancery Court, which is now pending for preclearance before the United States Attorney General.
The parties are hereby directed to show cause by written objections, why this court's redistricting plan, if implemented, would not satisfy all state and federal statutory and constitutional requirements; and to make any other critical comments and suggestions with respect to the plan that the parties deem appropriate. Said objections, comments and suggestions must be filed with the Clerk of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 9. Failure to object in accordance with this order will be deemed a waiver of all further objections to this plan.
Population Summary Report DISTRICT POPULATION DEVIATION % DEVN. [18+_Pop] [18+_Blk] [% 18+_Blk] Summary
Monday February 4, 2002 7:54 AM _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ 1 711,160 +5 0.00 521,745 124,207 23.81% 2 711,164 -1 0.00 501,887 297,121 59.20% 3 711,164 -1 0.00 523,593 158,994 30.37% 4 711,170 5 0.00 522,246 104,937 20.09% _________________________________________________________________________________ Total Population: 2,844,658 Ideal District Population: 711,165 Population Range: 711,160 to 411,170 Ratio Range: 1.00 Absolute Range: -5 to 5 Absolute Overall Range: 10.00 Relative Range: 0.00% to 0.00% Relative Overall Range: 0.00% Absolute Mean Deviation: 3.00 Relative Mean Deviation: 0.00% Standard Deviation: 4.12 Political Subdivisions Split Between Districts Monday February 4, 2002 7:50AM _________________________________________________________________________________ Number of subdivisions not split:County 74
Number of subdivisions split into more tan one district:
County 8
Number of subdivision splits which affect no population:
County 0
Split Counts
County
Cases where a County is split among 2 Districts: 8
Number of times a County has been split into more than one district: 8 Total of County splits: 16 Split Counties: Plan Components Report Webster County Subtotal 9,544 7,079 1,267 Winston County Subtotal 134 103 12 District 1 Subtotal 711,160 521,745 124,207 District 2 Hinds County Subtotal 218,968 155,226 98,716 Leake County Subtotal 11,361 8,293 3,536 Madison County Subtotal 27,631 18,877 13,052 District 2 Subtotal 711,164 501,887 297,121 District 3 Hinds County Subtotal 31,832 25,509 3,662 Jasper County Subtotal 7,212 5,197 2,637 Jones County Subtotal 2,235 1,641 557 Leake County Subtotal 9,579 7,015 1,760 Madison County Subtotal 47,043 34,417 5,453 Marion County Subtotal 9,742 6,998 1,453 Webster County Subtotal 750 528 138 Winston County Subtotal 20,026 14,660 5,820 District 3 Subtotal 711,164 523,593 158,994 District 4 Jasper County Subtotal 10,937 7,880 3,730 Jones County Subtotal 62,723 46,557 10,650 Marion County Subtotal 15,853 11,481 3,809 District 4 Subtotal 711,170 522,246 104,937 _________________________________________________________________________________ State totals 2,844,658 2,069,471 685,259
County District Population ___________________________________________ Hinds 2 218,968 Hinds 3 31,832 Jasper 3 7,212 Jasper 4 10,937 Jones 3 2,235 Jones 4 62,723 Leake 2 11,361 Leake 3 9,579 Madison 2 27,631 Madison 3 47,043 Marion 3 9,742 Marion 4 15,853 Webster 1 9,544 Webster 3 750 Winston 1 134 Winston 3 20,026 ___________________________________________ Monday, February 4, 2002 8:02 AM _________________________________________________________________________________ Population [18+_Pop] [18+_Blk] District 1 Alcorn County 34,558 26,310 2,645 Benton County 8,026 5,867 1,942 Calhoun County 15,069 11,270 2,892 Chickasaw County 19,440 13,874 5,196 Choctaw County 9,758 7,044 1,934 Clay County 21,979 15,643 8,129 DeSoto County 107,199 77,005 8,063 Grenada County 23,263 16,945 6,385 Itawamba County 22,770 17,257 1,065 Lafayette County 38,744 31,170 6,908 Lee County 75,755 54,793 11,904 Lowndes County 61,586 43,963 16,500 Marshall County 34,993 25,695 12,185 Monroe County 38,014 27,673 7,757 Panola County 34,274 24,193 10,518 Pontotoc County 26,726 19,351 2,527 Prentiss County 25,556 19,170 2,330 Tate County 25,370 18,502 5,385 Tippah County 20,826 15,620 2,297 Tishomingo County 19,163 14,724 465 Union County 25,362 18,783 2,554 Webster County VTD: Bellefontaine 550 413 44 VTD: Big Black 420 301 5 VTD: Bluff Springs 287 210 96 VTD: Cadaretta 227 191 22 VTD: Clarkson 673 492 38 VTD: Cumberland 505 359 65 VTD: Eupora 1 1,440 1,011 517 VTD: Eupora 2 701 537 73 VTD: Eupora 3 881 672 115 VTD: Fame 489 372 8 VTD: Fay 219 166 12 VTD: Grady 409 310 40 VTD: Mantee 572 454 39 VTD: Mathiston 897 656 79 VTD: North Walthall 263 190 7 VTD: South Walthall 302 228 44 VTD: Tomnolen 709 517 63 ______________________________________________________ Winston County VTD: Gum Branch 134 103 12 ______________________________________________________ Yalobusha County 13,051 9,711 3,347 ______________________________________________________ Attala County 19,661 14,562 5,321 Bolivar County 40,633 28,587 17,107 Carroll County 10,769 8,134 2,788 Claiborne County 11,831 8,724 7,145 Coahoma County 30,622 20,514 13,183 Copiah County 28,757 21,014 9,939 Hinds County VTD: 1 297 251 143 VTD: 10 731 546 526 VTD: 11 984 745 698 VTD: 12 1,062 764 758 VTD: 13 1,309 955 942 VTD: 15 488 410 67 VTD: 16 2,132 1,530 1,115 VTD: 18 1,227 899 858 VTD: 19 1,148 854 845 VTD: 2 940 710 695 VTD: 20 1,880 1,237 1,213 VTD: 21 1,022 637 573 VTD: 22 2,605 1,817 1,770 VTD: 23 2,484 1,680 1,672 VTD: 24 2,382 1,345 1,195 VTD: 25 2,463 1,511 1,394 VTD: 26 1,328 844 709 VTD: 27 1,931 1,512 1,492 VTD: 28 2,053 1,630 1,612 VTD: 29 1,037 804 799 VTD: 30 1,426 995 984 VTD: 31 1,939 1,452 1,438 VTD: 38 1,442 1,007 562 VTD: 39 1,695 1,154 1,061 VTD: 4 1,121 743 73 VTD: 40 2,391 1,752 1,683 VTD: 41 2,818 2,004 1,965 VTD: 42 3,156 2,319 1,791 VTD: 43 4,359 2,968 2,350 VTD: 47 3,107 2,444 2,015 VTD: 5 1,995 1,702 725 VTD: 50 968 706 648 VTD: 51 1,013 677 662 VTD: 52 2,319 1,598 1,536 VTD: 53 585 391 374 VTD: 54 1,149 887 742 VTD: 55 1,848 1,226 1,127 VTD: 56 1,027 610 586 VTD: 57 1,436 940 910 VTD: 58 2,025 1,477 1,428 VTD: 59 3,079 1,797 1,730 VTD: 6 2,314 1,751 936 VTD: 60 987 597 545 VTD: 61 2,406 1,524 1,429 VTD: 62 2,545 1,631 1,430 VTD: 63 1,062 772 763 VTD: 64 1,101 821 800 VTD: 66 231 160 158 VTD: 67 2,186 1,408 1,191 VTD: 68 4,122 2,842 1,767 VTD: 69 2,083 1,340 841 VTD: 70 1,230 774 388 VTD: 71 2,069 1,391 698 VTD: 72 2,477 1,506 865 VTD: 73 1,887 1,367 570 VTD: 74 1,597 1,099 406 VTD: 75 1,430 943 423 VTD: 76 2,526 1,891 474 VTD: 77 2,601 1,798 596 VTD: 80 3,625 2,332 2,135 VTD: 81 2,131 1,614 1,477 VTD: 82 2,252 1,564 1,495 VTD: 83 4,481 3,123 2,854 VTD: 84 420 326 295 VTD: 85 3,943 2,759 2,733 VTD: 86 2,615 1,506 1,407 VTD: 87 2,095 1,381 957 VTD: 88 2,927 2,091 1,614 VTD: 89 2,114 1,433 902 VTD: 90 1,666 1,213 494 VTD: 91 3,212 2,090 1,643 VTD: 92 3,598 2,481 1,106 VTD: 93 1,845 1,293 773 VTD: 94 3,657 2,442 1,830 VTD: 95 910 657 179 VTD: 96 2,828 2,143 713 VTD: 97 659 486 109 VTD: Bolton 1,894 1,406 938 VTD: Brownsville 754 556 315 VTD: Byram 1 4,541 3,264 471 VTD: Byram 2 2,063 1,567 168 VTD: Cayuga 491 375 218 VTD: Chapel Hill 1,378 980 454 VTD: Clinton 1 4,406 3,713 543 VTD: Clinton 2 5,301 3,717 558 VTD: Clinton 3 4,439 3,352 740 VTD: Clinton 4 2,201 1,602 192 VTD: Clinton 5 1,590 1,231 57 VTD: Clinton 6 3,697 2,710 714 VTD: Cynthia 1,005 714 516 VTD: Dry Grove 1,076 798 221 VTD: Edwards 3,715 2,552 1,893 VTD: Jackson State 1,658 1,596 1,579 VTD: Learned 924 661 308 VTD: Old Byram 2,930 2,183 201 VTD: Pinehaven 2,749 1,932 823 VTD: Pocahontas 620 483 310 VTD: Raymond 1 3,346 2,237 911 VTD: Raymond 2 4,264 3,595 1,316 VTD: Spring Ridge 4,297 3,046 1,070 VTD: St. Thomas 560 390 374 VTD: Terry 5,242 3,958 1,442 VTD: Tinnin 901 611 143 VTD: Utica 1 1,297 953 388 VTD: Utica 2 1,396 965 732 ______________________________________________________ Holmes County 21,609 14,670 10,899 Humphreys County 11,206 7,541 5,052 Issaquena County 2,274 1,645 962 Jefferson County 9,740 6,937 5,851 Leake County VTD: Conway 961 684 434 VTD: East Carthage 1,645 1,270 178 VTD: North Carthage 2,035 1,396 324 VTD: Ofahoma 660 463 372 VTD: Singleton 1,495 1,104 243 VTD: South Carthage 1,380 1,174 590 VTD: Thomastown 860 642 323 VTD: West Carthage 1,506 974 664 VTD: Wiggins 819 586 408 ______________________________________________________ Leflore County 37,947 26,667 16,855 Madison County VTD: Bible Church 964 509 493 VTD: Camden 1,714 1,119 920 VTD: Cameron 120 96 47 VTD: Canton Pd. 7 707 519 459 VTD: Canton Precinct 1 2,644 1,824 1,187 VTD: Canton Precinct 2 2,511 1,886 795 VTD: Canton Precinct 3 603 413 260 VTD: Canton Precinct 4 3,332 2,263 1,820 VTD: Canton Precinct 5 1,732 1,082 1,070 VTD: Couparle 49 41 33 VTD: Gluckstadt 3,432 2,519 336 VTD: Liberty 2,118 1,426 1,262 VTD: Luther Branson School 1,207 800 655 VTD: Mad. Co. Bap. Fam. Lf.Ct. 2,013 1,188 1,185 VTD: Magnolia Heights 1,916 1,308 1,006 VTD: New Industrial Park 577 378 315 VTD: Sharon 855 553 455 VTD: Tougaloo 605 584 581 VTD: Virlilia 532 369 173 ______________________________________________________ Montgomery County 12,189 8,925 3,611 Quitman County 10,117 6,880 4,375 Sharkey County 6,580 4,409 2,833 Sunflower County 34,369 24,775 16,387 Tallahatchie County 14,903 10,427 5,666 Tunica County 9,227 6,324 4,062 Warren County 49,644 35,476 14,147 Washington County 62,977 43,144 25,780 Yazoo County 28,149 20,136 9,854 ______________________________________________________ Adams County 34,340 25,149 12,301 Amite County 13,599 10,068 3,967 Covington County 19,407 13,813 4,347 Franklin County 8,448 6,142 1,979 Hinds County VTD: 14 1,672 1,476 201 VTD: 17 853 694 40 VTD: 32 1,362 1,038 61 VTD: 33 1,252 934 16 VTD: 34 2,184 1,700 10 VTD: 35 2,401 1,773 160 VTD: 36 1,739 1,383 436 VTD: 37 1,636 1,306 420 VTD: 44 3,002 2,290 463 VTD: 45 2,789 2,281 76 VTD: 46 2,367 1,875 262 VTD: 78 4,337 3,674 433 VTD: 79 2,990 2,289 867 VTD: 8 1,412 1,211 143 VTD: 9 1,836 1,585 74 ______________________________________________________ Jasper County VTD: Bay Springs Beat 3 1,721 1,287 524 VTD: Bay Springs Beat 4 2,170 1,513 865 VTD: Garlandsville 105 81 43 VTD: Holders Church 1,366 1,003 546 VTD: Louin 1,234 862 424 VTD: Montrose 616 451 235 ______________________________________________________ Jefferson Davis County 13,962 9,998 5,269 Jones County VTD: Bruce 530 428 14 VTD: Centerville 504 375 2 VTD: Hebron 1,201 838 541 ______________________________________________________ Kemper County 10,453 7,795 4,231 Lauderdale County 78,161 57,370 19,661 Lawrence County 13,258 9,635 2,859 Leake County VTD: Ebenezer 956 687 374 VTD: Edinburg 946 714 4 VTD: Freeny 1,368 958 86 VTD: Good Hope 1,044 776 197 VTD: Lena 861 625 325 VTD: Madden 996 741 87 VTD: Renfroe 608 465 60 VTD: Salem 758 569 65 VTD: Sunrise 669 507 22 VTD: Walnut Grove 1,373 973 540 ______________________________________________________ Lincoln County 33,166 24,324 6,716 Madison County VTD: Bear Creek 2,461 1,749 500 VTD: Flora 1,756 1,301 349 VTD: Highland Colony Bap. Ch. 2,137 1,440 294 VTD: Lorman-Cavalier 1,531 1,148 409 VTD: Madison 1 1,651 1,149 19 VTD: Madison 2 3,585 2,582 63 VTD: Madison 3 3,853 2,658 173 VTD: Madisonville 427 323 81 VTD: Main Harbor 1,953 1,574 51 VTD: Ratliff Ferry 1,075 795 410 VTD: Ridgeland 1 3,565 2,836 503 VTD: Ridgeland 3 3,990 3,138 1,027 VTD: Ridgeland 4 2,571 2,221 468 VTD: Ridgeland First Meth. Ch. 2,941 1,964 529 VTD: Ridgeland Tennis Center 5,472 4,050 307 VTD: Smith School 499 380 39 VTD: Trace Harbor 1,820 1,277 34 VTD: Victory Baptist Church 3,788 2,449 69 VTD: Whispering Lake 1,968 1,383 128 ______________________________________________________ Marion County VTD: Broom 831 590 202 VTD: Carley 1,389 1,016 128 VTD: Cedar Grove 820 573 167 VTD: Darbun 447 347 47 VTD: Foxworth 1,691 1,187 347 VTD: Goss 837 614 101 VTD: Kokomo 985 718 191 VTD: Morgantown 777 581 8 VTD: Pittman 919 669 7 VTD: Stovall 907 607 253 VTD: White Bluff 139 96 2 ______________________________________________________ Neshoba County 28,684 20,583 3,609 Newton County 21,838 16,126 4,495 Noxubee County 12,548 8,697 5,751 Oktibbeha County 42,902 33,877 11,179 Pike County 38,940 28,154 12,331 Rankin County 115,327 85,452 13,901 Scott County 28,423 20,293 7,220 Simpson County 27,639 19,920 6,110 Smith County 16,182 11,731 2,354 Walthall County 15,156 10,853 4,242 Webster County VTD: Maben 750 528 138 ______________________________________________________ Wilkinson County 10,312 7,648 4,992 Winston County VTD: American Legion 1,989 1,338 1,061 VTD: Bethany 242 186 21 VTD: Betheden-Loakfoma 363 278 87 VTD: Bond 915 673 164 VTD: Calvary 339 258 80 VTD: County Agent 1,792 1,188 941 VTD: Crystal Ridge 385 287 65 VTD: Dean Park 404 269 239 VTD: E.M.E.P.A. 1,357 1,007 266 VTD: Elementary School 834 610 285 VTD: Ellison Ridge 436 343 73 VTD: Fairground 2,044 1,583 579 VTD: Ford School 429 334 46 VTD: Hinze 69 52 1 VTD: Liberty 594 413 238 VTD: Lobutcha 292 206 96 VTD: Louisville Electric 224 158 40 VTD: Louisville High School 429 305 68 VTD: Lovorn Tractor 297 244 16 VTD: Mars Hill 343 262 43 VTD: Nanih Waiya 1,378 1,005 169 VTD: Nanih Waiya-Handle 573 410 86 VTD: New Hope 271 222 13 VTD: Noxapater 1,618 1,200 344 VTD: Old National Guard Armory 904 750 59 VTD: Sinai 369 276 147 VTD: Vowell 263 201 99 VTD: Zion Ridge 873 602 494 ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ Clarke County 17,955 13,147 4,185 Forrest County 72,604 54,801 16,378 George County 19,144 13,560 1,076 Greene County 13,299 10,088 2,768 Hancock County 42,967 32,163 1,975 Harrison County 189,601 140,213 26,665 Jackson County 131,420 95,072 17,952 Jasper County VTD: Antioch 614 456 48 VTD: Claiborne 617 449 213 VTD: Cooks Mill 770 527 468 VTD: Fellowship 234 181 54 VTD: Heidelberg 2,265 1,573 1,158 VTD: Midway 525 375 213 VTD: Mossville 1,452 1,058 235 VTD: Palestine 189 141 91 VTD: Philadelphia 578 425 297 VTD: Ras 147 113 61 VTD: Rose Hill 941 708 275 VTD: Stringer 1,660 1,266 74 VTD: Vossburg 945 608 543 ______________________________________________________ Jones County VTD: Anthonys Florist 927 582 414 VTD: Antioch (28067310) 596 472 0 VTD: Blackwell 135 93 3 VTD: Calhoun 3,275 2,525 43 VTD: Cameron Center 709 515 131 VTD: Cooks Ave. Comm. Ctr. 878 626 608 VTD: County Barn 1,861 1,498 317 VTD: Currie 270 185 169 VTD: Ellisville Court House 1,507 1,216 254 VTD: Erata 642 485 233 VTD: Gitano 447 335 84 VTD: Glade School 1,932 1,480 24 VTD: Johnson 1,001 706 4 VTD: Lamar School 1,768 1,292 356 VTD: Landrum Comm. Ctr. 740 570 1 VTD: Laurel Courthouse 1,771 1,291 352 VTD: Maple Street YWCA 472 329 302 VTD: Mason School 2,078 1,668 39 VTD: Matthews 867 627 61 VTD: Moselle 1,820 1,351 185 VTD: Myrick 1,832 1,359 8 VTD: National Guard Armory 2,353 1,606 1,151 VTD: Nora Davis School 1,790 1,293 1,145 VTD: Oak Park School 1,805 1,109 1,078 VTD: Old Health Dept. 499 307 268 VTD: Ovett 1,301 954 12 VTD: Pendorf 646 493 14 VTD: Pinegrove 1,510 1,168 84 VTD: Pleasant Ridge 892 694 5 VTD: Powers Comm. Ctr. 1,595 1,158 233 VTD: Rainey 1,567 1,174 1 VTD: Roosevelt 601 427 323 VTD: Rustin 1,144 853 0 VTD: Sandersville Civic Center 1,390 1,044 92 VTD: Sandhill 924 716 1 VTD: Shady Grove 4,332 3,150 572 VTD: Sharon 3,508 2,604 375 VTD: Shelton 1,130 854 180 VTD: Soso 1,600 1,175 502 VTD: South Jones 1,357 1,047 191 VTD: Stainton 1,882 1,445 458 VTD: Tuckers 1,683 1,262 33 VTD: Twenty-Sixth St. Fire Stn 803 655 76 VTD: Union 1,216 902 28 VTD: West Jones 1,667 1,262 240 ______________________________________________________ Lamar County 39,070 28,134 3,241 Marion County VTD: Balls Mill 1,071 806 169 VTD: City Hall Beat 3 828 598 205 VTD: Courthouse Beat 4 1,324 1,018 123 VTD: East Columbia 2,107 1,390 988 VTD: Hub 919 662 324 VTD: Jefferson Middle School 688 437 420 VTD: Morris 1,545 1,129 308 VTD: National Guard Beat 1 2,666 1,866 116 VTD: Pinebur 956 691 166 VTD: Popetown Beat 2 1,914 1,434 301 VTD: Sandy Hook 535 408 108 VTD: South Columbia 860 713 569 VTD: Union (28091103) 440 329 12 ______________________________________________________ Pearl River County 48,621 35,515 3,927 Perry County 12,138 8,655 1,692 Stone County 13,622 9,966 1,777 Wayne County 21,216 15,014 5,112 ______________________________________________________ANALYSIS OF FACTORS CONSIDERED
Population EqualityThe United States Constitution requires a good-faith effort to ensure, as nearly as is practicable, that a State's Congressional districts contain equal population. This court has made every effort to achieve absolute population equality without splitting voting precincts. The population deviation range is from +5 people in District 4 to -5 people in District 1. The effort to achieve population equality among the districts explains in significant part why some counties must be split.
Majority-Minority District
The Voting Rights Act requires that one congressional district be maintained in the State with an appropriate majority of black voting age residents. This district is represented on the map as District 2. Based on the figures from the 2000 Census, District 2 under the currently existing five-district plan has a black voting age population of 61%. Any significant variation in that percentage — up or down — constitutes retrogression of the voting rights of black residents of District 2 under § 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Under this court's redistricting plan, the black voting age population in District 2 is 59.20%. The effort to maintain the appropriate majority of black voting age citizens in District 2 is further explanation as to why some counties must be split.
Compactness
The court has attempted to achieve, as nearly as possible, four compact districts. The ability to create compact districts is limited by the distribution of population. Sparsely populated districts necessarily will be less compact than heavily populated districts as a result of the population equality principle. Furthermore, a more compact plan cannot be drawn for two reasons: First, it would not be possible to prevent retrogression in District 2; and, second, it would be a barrier to including as much as possible of the currently existing districts 3 and 4 in the new District 3.
County and Municipal Boundaries
The plan splits eight counties: Hinds, Jasper, Jones, Leake, Madison, Marion, Webster, and Winston. We note that eleven counties are split under the currently existing five-district congressional plan adopted by the Mississippi Legislature in 1992. We attach a copy of that currently existing plan for reference.
In this court's plan today, Jasper and Marion Counties are split as part of the effort to maintain as much of currently existing district 4 in new District 3 as is feasible, subject to the constraints of population equality. Furthermore, Jasper County is split in a particular way to avoid splitting the town of Bay Springs. Hinds, Leake, and Madison Counties are split as part of the effort to prevent retrogression in District 2, as well as to help achieve population equality. Jones County is split so as not to remove the incumbent from his district and also to help achieve population equality. Webster County is split to avoid dividing the town of Maben, which lies partially in Oktibbeha County and partially in Webster County, among two districts. Winston County is split to help achieve population equality. The only municipality that is split is the City of Jackson. Mayor Johnson testified in Chancery Court that he preferred that the City be represented by two congressmen. In sum, the county splits are necessitated by: the population equality requirement; preservation of the majority-minority district at an appropriate percentage; preservation of the cores of currently existing districts 3 and 4; and avoiding having incumbents districted out of their residences.
Historical and Regional Interests
The plan preserves as much as possible, given the constraints of population equality and § 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the cores of the Mississippi River/Delta region, East Central Mississippi, Southwest Mississippi, North Mississippi, and the Gulf Coast region.
Universities and Military Bases
The plan is drawn to assure that the 4 major research universities are also in separate districts. The military bases located in Lowndes, Lauderdale, and Harrison Counties are also in separate districts under this court's plan today.
Growth Areas
The plan is drawn to provide that each district has at least one major growth area. District 1 contains DeSoto and Lee Counties, as under the currently existing five-district plan. District 2 contains the Nissan Plant/Gluckstadt area of Madison County, as it does under the currently existing five-district plan, and the Byram and Clinton areas of Hinds County, which are in district 4 under the currently existing five-district plan. District 3 contains southern Madison County and Rankin County. District 4 contains the Gulf Coast area.
Combination of Currently Existing Districts 3 and 4
In drawing District 3, consideration was given to including as much of the currently existing districts 3 and 4 in the new combined District 3 as possible. The new District 3 contains all or part of 14 counties from each of the currently existing districts 3 and 4, respectively.
The new District 3 includes the portion of Jones County which contains the incumbent's residence. It includes all or part of 14 of the 19 counties that comprise currently existing district 3: Jasper, Jones, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Rankin, Scott, Smith, and Winston. However, it is necessary to eliminate: the portions of Attala County and Wayne County that are in currently existing district 3 for concerns of retrogression and population equality, respectively; and all of Clarke, Clay, and Lowndes Counties, primarily because of population equality.
The new District 3 includes all of Jefferson Davis County, which contains the residence of the incumbent for currently existing district 4. It includes all or part of 14 of the 15 counties that comprise currently existing district 4: Adams, Amite, Covington, Franklin, Hinds, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pike, Simpson, Walthall, and Wilkinson. However, it is necessary to eliminate Copiah County for reasons of population equality with District 2 and to prevent retrogression of voting rights of black residents of District 2.
Protection of Incumbent Residences
No incumbent would be required to move in order to run in the district in which he resides.
Distance of Travel Within District
As is expected to occur when the number of districts is reduced from five to four, the distances of travel within the districts are increased. The distance of travel within District 1 is approximately the same size as under the plan submitted by the plaintiffs, and is substantially less than it is under the plan submitted by the intervenors. The new District 2 is slightly larger than currently existing district 2, but this is unavoidable in the light of the population deficit in currently existing district 2, which grew more slowly than any other district in the State. The distance of travel within new District 3 is dictated by the effort to combine currently existing districts 3 and 4, as well as by the effort to keep the four major research universities in separate districts. The distance of travel in new District 4 is slightly greater than it is in currently existing district 5. This is necessitated by the effort to include in District 3 as much of currently existing district 4 as is feasible. The distance of travel within new District 4 is substantially less than that within district 4 in the plan submitted by the plaintiffs.
SUMMARY
In sum, the court has attempted to apply all appropriate neutral factors that are recognized by the United States Supreme Court and federal redistricting courts. As noted, these factors include, first, the constitutional demand for population equality among the districts, and second, the Voting Rights Act requirement that one equally populated district be drawn to include a majority of black residents of voting age. While respecting county, city and precinct lines and compactness of each district, the court sought to give appropriate value to the following factors: that District 3 should include as much as possible of the currently existing districts 3 and 4; that growth areas, research universities and military bases should be placed in separate districts if otherwise practicable; that historical and regional interests should be respected; that no incumbent should be required to move; and that travel distances within the districts be as minimal as possible, consistent with the other requirements. When all feasible adjustments were made for these factors, further adjustments were necessary to satisfy one person-one vote requirements, and retrogression concerns.