The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has received a petition for writ of mandamus from DeSoto County, Mississippi, and its election officials challenging a district court's handling of a voting rights lawsuit over the county's redistricting process.
The case, *In re DeSoto County, Mississippi* (5th Cir. 2026), involves the county's Board of Supervisors and Election Commission seeking relief from the Northern District of Mississippi's management of litigation filed under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The petition, filed January 20, is being reviewed by Circuit Judges Stewart, Willett, and Wilson.
The underlying dispute stems from DeSoto County's redistricting efforts following the 2020 census, which showed increased population in the Mississippi county. The redistricting process began in September 2021 and was completed in June 2022, as the county redrew its electoral boundaries to reflect demographic changes revealed by the decennial census.
Two years after the redistricting was finalized, a coalition of plaintiffs filed suit in September 2024 challenging the new electoral map. The lawsuit was brought by two Black DeSoto County voters and two nonprofit organizations, who alleged that the 2022 redistricting map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Section 2 prohibits voting practices that discriminate based on race, color, or membership in a language minority group.
The plaintiffs sought an injunction to prevent DeSoto County from using the 2022 map in future elections. Their complaint, filed in the case *Harris v. DeSoto County* in the Northern District of Mississippi, argued that the redistricting diluted minority voting strength in violation of federal law.
The district court's handling of the case appears to have prompted the county's mandamus petition to the Fifth Circuit. According to court documents, the district court granted the plaintiffs' motion to expedite proceedings and scheduled a trial for January 26, 2026. The accelerated timeline appears to be a key factor in the county's decision to seek appellate intervention through the mandamus petition.
A writ of mandamus is an extraordinary remedy that allows appellate courts to compel lower courts to perform specific acts when they have abused their discretion or acted outside their jurisdiction. Courts typically grant mandamus petitions only when the petitioner demonstrates that no other adequate remedy exists and that the right to relief is clear and indisputable.
The timing of the mandamus petition suggests that DeSoto County officials believe the district court's expedited schedule or other case management decisions warrant immediate appellate review. The petition was filed just days before the scheduled trial date, indicating urgency in the county's request for relief.
DeSoto County, located in northern Mississippi near the Tennessee border, has experienced significant population growth in recent decades. The 2020 census results that triggered the redistricting process likely reflected continued demographic changes that required adjustment of electoral boundaries to ensure equal representation.
The case highlights ongoing tensions over redistricting processes across the country, particularly in jurisdictions with changing demographics. Voting rights advocates frequently challenge redistricting plans they believe dilute minority voting strength, while local governments often defend their redistricting decisions as legally compliant and necessary to reflect population changes.
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act has been the subject of numerous court battles in recent years, as plaintiffs have challenged redistricting plans in various states. The law requires that redistricting not diminish minority voters' ability to elect candidates of their choice, but determining when a redistricting plan violates this standard often requires complex legal and statistical analysis.
The Fifth Circuit's review of the mandamus petition will determine whether the district court's case management warranted appellate intervention. If the appellate court grants the petition, it could result in changes to the trial schedule or other aspects of the district court proceedings.
The case also reflects broader national debates over redistricting and voting rights, as communities across the country continue to grapple with the legal and political implications of redrawing electoral boundaries following the 2020 census. The outcome could influence how similar redistricting disputes are handled in other jurisdictions within the Fifth Circuit's geographic area, which includes Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.
The court's decision on the mandamus petition will likely be closely watched by voting rights attorneys, redistricting experts, and local government officials throughout the region who are involved in similar disputes over electoral boundaries and minority voting rights.