Mississippi Election System

Lawsuit filed by individual voters challenging provisions of the 1890 Mississippi Constitution that required a candidate for statewide office to win a majority of both the popular vote and state House districts in order to be elected. The framers originally devised this system with the explicit purpose of diluting Black votes, which the complaint alleges violates the 14th and 15th Amendments and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. As a response to this litigation, the state Legislature proposed an amendment to repeal the discriminatory election scheme, which was passed by voters in the 2020 general election.

Last updated: August 16, 2021 5:51 pm EST