JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Three federal judges are telling Mississippi to redraw some of its legislative districts, saying the current ones dilute the power of Black voters in three parts of the state.
The judges issued their order Tuesday night in a lawsuit filed in 2022 by the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP and several Black residents.
“This is an important victory for Black Mississippians to have an equal and fair opportunity to participate in the political process without their votes being diluted," one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, Jennifer Nwachukwu, of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement Wednesday. "This ruling affirms that the voices of Black Mississippians matter and should be reflected in the state Legislature.”
Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% Black.
In the legislative redistricting plan adopted in 2022, 15 of the 52 Senate districts and 42 of the 122 House districts are majority Black. Those are 29% of Senate districts and 34% of House districts.
The judges ordered legislators to draw majority-Black Senate districts in and around DeSoto County in the northwestern corner of the state and in and around Hattiesburg in the south, and a new majority-Black House district in Chickasaw and Monroe counties in the northeastern part of the state.
The order does not create additional districts. Rather, it would require legislators to adjust the boundaries of existing districts. That means multiple districts could be affected.
The Mississippi attorney general's office was reviewing the judges' ruling Wednesday, spokesperson MaryAsa Lee said. It was not immediately clear whether the state would appeal it.
Legislative and congressional districts are updated after each census to reflect population changes from the previous decade. Mississippi’s new legislative districts were used when all of the state House and Senate seats were on the ballot in 2023.
Tommie Cardin, an attorney for state officials, told the federal judges in February that Mississippi cannot ignore its history of racial division, but that voter behavior now is driven by party affiliation, not race.
“The days of voter suppression and intimidation are, thankfully, behind us," Cardin said.
Historical voting patterns in Mississippi show that districts with higher populations of white residents tend to lean toward Republicans and that districts with higher populations of Black residents tend to lean toward Democrats.
Lawsuits in several states have challenged the composition of congressional or state legislative districts drawn after the 2020 census.
Louisiana legislators redrew the state’s six U.S. House districts in January to create two majority-Black districts, rather than one, after a federal judge ruled that the state’s previous plan diluted the voting power of Black residents, who make up about one-third of the state’s population.
And a federal judge ruled in early February that the Louisiana legislators diluted Black voting strength with the state House and Senate districts they redrew in 2022.
In December, a federal judge accepted new Georgia congressional and legislative districts that protect Republican partisan advantages. The judge said the creation of new majority-Black districts solved the illegal minority vote dilution that led him to order maps to be redrawn.
FILE - Mississippi state Sens. Rod Hickman, D-Macon, left, Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, second from left, Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson, and David Jordan, D-Greenwood, review an alternate Senate redistricting map at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., March 29, 2022. Three federal judges ruled Tuesday, July 2, 2024, that Mississippi legislators must redraw some state House and Senate districts because the districts adopted in 2022 dilute Black voting power. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
HAMBURG, Germany (AP) — France ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s bid to win the title at his last European Championship by beating Portugal 5-3 in a penalty shootout to reach the semifinals on Friday.
After the game finished 0-0 following extra time, Portugal substitute Joao Felix hit a post with the only miss in the shootout and Theo Hernández converted the clinching kick.
It was a record sixth and last European Championship for the 39-year-old Ronaldo, who scored Portugal's first penalty in the shootout and ended up consoling fellow veteran Pepe afterward as the 41-year-old defender cried on his captain's shoulder.
Ronaldo's career in the Euros included the title in 2016 — when Portugal beat France in the final — and it remains to be seen if the five-time world player of the year will continue playing for his country through to the 2026 World Cup.
The victory ended Kylian Mbappé's and France's heartbreak in shootouts, having lost in them at their last two major tournaments — in the last 16 at the Euros in 2021 and in the 2022 World Cup final.
Mbappé didn't even take a penalty in the shootout, having been substituted after the first half of extra time following a couple of knocks to his broken nose that was covered by a protective mask.
“It wasn’t easy," France goalkeeper Mike Maignan said. “We didn’t always play that great, it was a complicated game. We played well defensively.”
“We got to the penalty shootout and didn’t waver. We can be proud of ourselves.”
France will play Spain in the semifinals after its extra-time win over Germany in Stuttgart, with Les Bleus staying on course for a third European Championship title after 1984 and 2000.
Didier Deschamps' team has reached the semifinals despite no France player having scored from open play so far in the tournament.
Portugal exited having failed to score in either of its knockout games — the team beat Slovenia on penalties in the last 16 — and its final group match.
AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scores during the penalty shootout of a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
France players celebrate after penalty shootout against Portugal during a quarter final match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Kylian Mbappe of France controls the ball during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, center, is challenged by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez of France during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after a call during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Kylian Mbappe of France reacts after an injury during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Kylian Mbappe of France, center, falls after a collision with Portugal's Joao Palhinha during a quarter final match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after failing to score during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Kylian Mbappe of France challenges for the ball with Portugal's Nuno Mendes during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Portugal's Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes, from left, prepare to take a free kick during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo lies on the ground after being fouled by Theo Hernandez of France during a quarter final match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Kylian Mbappe of France challenges for the ball with Portugal's Joao Cancelo during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo vies for the ball with William Saliba of France, left, during a quarter final match between Portugal and France at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Hamburg, Germany, Friday, July 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
