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Connor v. Johnson

United States District Court S.D. Mississippi, Jackson Division.July 22, 1966256 F.Supp. 96210 Fed.R.Serv.2d 352 (Approx. 23 pages)

Connor v. Johnson

United States District Court S.D. Mississippi, Jackson Division.July 22, 1966256 F.Supp. 96210 Fed.R.Serv.2d 352 (Approx. 23 pages)

256 F.Supp. 962
United States District Court S.D. Mississippi, Jackson Division.
Peggy J. CONNOR et al., Plaintiffs,
v.
Paul B. JOHNSON et al., Defendants.
Civ. A. No. 3830.
July 22, 1966.

Attorneys and Law Firms

*963 Peter Marcuse, Waterbury, Conn., Kunstler, Kunstler & Kinoy, William M. Kunstler and Arthur Kinoy, New York City, Smith, Waltzer, Jones & Peebles, Benjamin Smith, Bruce C. Waltzer, New Orleans, La., Morton Stavis, Newark, N.J., Carl Rachlin, Melvin L. Wulf, A.C.L.U., New York City, Alvin Bronstein, *964 R. Jess Brown, Jackson, Miss., for plaintiffs.
Joe T. Patterson, Atty. Gen., Martin R. McLendon, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jackson, Miss., for defendants.
Before COLEMAN, Circuit Judge, and COX and RUSSELL, District Judges.

Opinion

PER CURIAM:
The suit was filed October 19, 1965. The plaintiffs are adult, resident citizens and qualified electors of the State of Mississippi. The defendants are the three Members of the State Board of Election Commissioners, the Speaker of the State House of Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the State Senate.
Upon appropriate supporting factual allegations, the plaintiffs seek the reapportionment of the Mississippi Legislature in keeping with the principles enunciated in Baker v. Carr, and likewise seek to have the five Congressional Districts of the State of Mississippi rearranged by counties so that (quoting from the complaint) ‘each of the Congressional Districts should contain 435,628 persons to be apportioned on a strict population basis'.
The Court has jurisdiction of the subject matter and to hear and determine this case, Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 82 S.Ct. 691, 7 L.Ed.2d 663. See also Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 84 S.Ct. 1362, 12 L.Ed.2d 506; Scott v. Germano, 381 U.S. 407, 85 S.Ct. 1525, 14 L.Ed.2d 477; Toombs v. Fortson, D.C., 241 F.Supp. 65; Fourteenth Amendment, Equal Protection Clause; 28 U.S.C.A. § 2281 et seq. including 28 U.S.C.A. Section 1343. In this opinion we deal only with the question of legislative reapportionment. The parties have not yet completed their proof on the matter of Congressional Redistricting. This, when ready, will be the subject of a separate opinion.
Baker v. Carr, supra, held: (1) That the district courts possess jurisdiction of the subject matter of a state legislative reapportionment case; (2) That by allegations that there was substantial inequality of population between legislative districts a justiciable cause of action was stated upon which the Court could grant appropriate relief; (3) Individual citizens, electors and taxpayer had standing to challenge the apportionment statutes of a state; and (4) That district courts possess full authority to fashion relief in appropriate cases.
The Court has full jurisdiction of the person of the election commissioners of Mississippi, or any other person or persons charged with the duty of conducting elections for Senators and members of the House of Representatives of the Mississippi Legislature, certifying the results thereof and issuing commissions to the members so elected, to assure full compliance with whatever final order is rendered in this case by enjoining them from conducting any elections, certifying the result thereof or issuing commissions of office to any person claiming to have been elected contrary thereto.
THE MOTION TO DROP THE MISSISSIPPI FREEDOM DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS A PARTY PLAINTIFF
Defendants moved the Court to order the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party dismissed and dropped from the cause as a party plaintiff, on the following grounds:
‘(1) The unincorporated association does not have capacity to sue under the law of the State of Mississippi.
‘(2) The unincorporated association does not allege that the suit in its common name is for the purpose of enforcing for or against it a substantive right existing under the Constitution or laws of the United States, but alleges that it ’* * * brings this suit on its own behalf and on behalf of its members.'
‘(3) The unincorporated association does not possess for itself the right to vote or be represented in the Congress or the Mississippi Legislature; and it cannot affirmatively assert personal constitutional rights of or for its members; which said rights may be asserted only by the individuals possessing such rights.
*965 ‘(4) Dropping the unincorporated association, which is neither a proper, necessary or indispensable party, will not materially affect the rights, if any, of the individual plaintiffs to the relief sought.’
If the Rule were literally applied we have grave doubt that the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party does have standing to sue in this particular case. We feel that deprivation of Constitutional rights is more properly to be asserted by persons, not organizations which merely claim to speak for persons, but the dismissal of the Freedoom Democratic Party will not affect this litigation; the persons who have sued in their own names will remain. Therefore, if error is to be committed either way, we prefer to err on the side of a broad interpretation of Rule 17(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and we overrule the motion.1 The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party will, therefore, remain a party to this litigation and will be bound by its outcome, whatever that may be.
SUBJECT MATTER OF THE LITIGATION
Plaintiffs allege, in substance, that the apportionment of seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Mississippi Legislature contain elements of invidious discrimination against the citizens of some of the senatorial and legislative districts and in favor of the citizens of other districts. The apportionment of representation of the various counties of the State in the House of Representatives and Senate is provided for by Sections 254 and 255, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, as amended by Chapter 57, General Laws of Mississippi, Second Extraordinary Session 1962, ratified by the electorate on February 5, 1963, and inserted into the Constitution by proclamation of the Secretary of State on February 13, 1963.
The statutes implementing the constitutional amendment by establishing posts for qualification and election of members are Section 3326— Representatives and Section 3327— Senators, Mississippi Code of 1942, Recompiled.
The Court notes that the official United States Census for the various counties of the State is the only authoritative population count for all of the counties in Mississippi. Plaintiffs elected to stand on these official population reports to show the disparity of population existing in many instances throughout the State. The identical figures will be set forth in an exhibit to this opinion.
The present apportionment of the House of Representatives is in accord with the provision of the State Constitution that requires that each county have one representative. The remaining forty members of the 122 member House are divided among the more populous counties on a population basis. The multiplemember counties elect 64 members, a majority, while the one-member counties elect 58 members. A majority of the House of Representatives can conceivably be elected by counties having a combined total population of 879,123 or 40.361% Of the total population of the State.
The State is divided into forty-nine senatorial districts from which fifty-two senators are elected. The more populous counties are each allotted one senator and the smaller counties population-wise are combined for the purpose of electing a senator from the combined territory. A majority of the Senate can conceivably be elected from senatorial districts having *966 a combined total population of 810,249, or 37.199% Of the total population of the State.
‘It is simply impossible to decide upon the validity of the apportionment of one house of a bicameral legislature in the abstract, without also evaluating the actual scheme of representation employed with respect to the other house. Rather, the proper, and indeed indispensable, subject for judicial focus in a legislative apportionment controversy is the overall representation accorded to the State's voters, in both houses of a bicameral state legislature.’
The apportionment of the Mississippi Legislature is more nearly equal when the representation in both the House and Senate are combined and considered together as shown on the appendix hereto. Even with this combination it cannot be rationally explained why representatives and senators from Washington County should represent 19,600 people while the representatives and senators from Claiborne and Jefferson Counties should represent only 6,996. Although the example is the extreme, there are other disparities that defy rational explanation, while some counties are properly represented under the present apportionment both in the House and Senate and when the two are combined.
No rational explanation can be given to show why 33 counties are in the group of 47 counties comprising the least possible number of people that can conceivably elect a majority of the State Senate while the same 33 counties are in the group of 51 counties that can conceivably elect the majority of the House of Representatives.
The comparison of combined House and Senate representation per county also fails when it is considered that the House has 122 members while the Senate has only 52 members.
Note is taken of the fact that the present apportionment was passed by the Legislature and approved by the electorate of the State before the cases hereinafter discussed were decided.
The Court in Reynolds v. Sims, supra, declared the Federal analogy of a seat for each population unit regardless of its population was not applicable to State legislative bodies and said:
‘Logically, in a society ostensibly grounded on representative government, it would seem reasonable that a majority of the people of a State could elect a majority of the State's legislators.’
The argument that the apportionment is based upon the State Constitution, an amendment to which was approved by a majority of the electorate, was answered by the Court in Lucas v. Forty-Fourth General Assembly of State of Colorado, supra, as follows:
‘We hold that the fact that a challenged legislative apportionment plan was approved by the electorate is without federal constitutional significance, if the scheme adopted fails to satisfy the basic requirements of the Equal Protection Clause, as delineated in our opinion in Reynolds v. Sims.’
*967 Likewise, in Roman v. Sincock, supra, the Court said:
‘Regardless of the requirements of the Delaware Constitution and the fact that legislative apportionment has traditionally been considered a constitutional matter in Delaware, the delay inherent in following the state constitutional prescription for approval of constitutional amendments by two successive General Assemblies cannot be allowed to result in an impermissible deprivation of appellees' right to an adequate voice in the election of legislators to represent them.’
THE DECISION OF THE COURT
I
From the foregoing it follows that the apportionment provisions of the Mississippi Constitution and statutes are contrary to the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United states Constitution and are, therefore, invalid under the Supremacy Clause. All of the provisions of Sections 254 and 255, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, as amended, and as they existed prior to the amendment, and Sections 3326 and 3327, Mississippi Code of 1942, Recompiled, as amended, are hereby declared to be unconstitutional and invalid for all future elections of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Mississippi Legislature.
The Court now respectfully requests and directs the Mississippi Legislature to re-apportion itself, as it should do, and as it is capable of doing, and we make it a matter of record that we trust that such a vital legislative function will never have to be performed by the judiciary, state or federal.
We adopt the statement contained in Toombs v. Fortson, 241 F.Supp. 65 (1965), wherein the Court said:
‘We deem the duty of the court in a case such as this to rest on two considerations. First, the constitutional rights of plaintiffs must be accorded, and, if possible, by the state and not the court. Second, this should be accomplished within the ambit of the public interest that is involved in allowing the state political and governmental process to function in a manner so as to do as little harm as possible to other areas and functions for which the state is responsible.’
II
The invalidity of the apportionment provisions under which the present representatives and senators were elected is prospective only and shall not affect the term of office of the incumbents. Any vacancy that may occur in the legislature by resignation or death of a representative or senator may be filled by the electors of the district that elected the member that resigned or died.
III
The representatives and senators to be nominated in August, 1967, and elected in November, 1967, to take office in January, 1968, shall be elected only under an apportionment plan that meets the requirements of the United States Constitution.
IV
The principal argument made for the defendants is that legislative reapportionment is primarily the responsibility of the legislature and that the Court should not interfere with this duty and responsibility. The Court agrees ‘* * * that legislative reapportionment is primarily a matter for legislative consideration and determination, and that judicial relief becomes appropriate only when a legislature fails to reapportion according to federal constitutional requisites in a timely fashion after having had an adequate opportunity to do so.’ Reynolds v. Sims, supra.
This case was continued in January of this year to permit the Legislature to act on the matter of legislative reapportionment. Limited progress was made.
After failing to secure the necessary votes in both houses to amend the constitution to authorize the Legislature to reapportion itself (H.C.R. No. 49 passed the House by a substantial majority but *968 failed of passage in the Senate on three separate occasions), there was created, by H.C.R. No. 71, an interim study committee to study the facts and circumstances necessary for an intelligent, correct and proper reapportionment of the Legislature of the State of Mississippi.
The members of the interim study committee have been duly appointed as provided by H.C.R. No. 71. The full committee has met and organized and a sub-committee has been appointed; that sub-committee has organized and is meeting at regular intervals for the purpose of completing a report for submission to the full committee. The chairman advises the Court by affidavit that the sub-committee will complete its work and report to the full committee by August 1, 1966; and he will call sufficient meetings of the full committee to enable it to complete its work by September 15, 1966; and that the report of the committee with the recommendation that a Special Session of the Legislature be called will be filed with the Governor before October 1, 1966.
With the apportionment provisions of the State Constitution having been declared invalid, reapportionment may now be approved by a simple majority of the Legislature.
Obviously, the Constitutional rights of the Plaintiffs, and all other citizens, to elect a correctly apportioned legislature in 1967 can in no way be endangered if this Court should wait a further reasonable time before entering its final order in this case. We realize that whether or not a special session of the Legislature is to be called rests solely in the sound discretion of the Governor. We take note, however, that the Governor, in fact, did urge the Legislature to complete reapportionment before the end of the regular session, so we feel there is no special risk involved in granting further reasonable delay as herein set forth.
It is only fair to the Legislators, too, to point out that after many rigors it did succeed in enacting a Congressional Redistricting Bill, a vital element of the litigation raised by this case. Each member of the Legislature did take an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and Section 40 of the Mississippi Constitution commands him to do so. As long as the facts permit we shall certainly indulge the presumption that the Legislature will do its sworn duty.
If we, by reason of the failure of the Legislature to act, should be forced to enter a reapportionment of our own we do not now intimate the plan we would follow, but do point out that the members could be elected from the State at Large, Cf. Westberry v. Sanders, 376 U.S. 1, 84 S.Ct. 526, 11 L.Ed.2d 481, or an equal number of Representatives and Senators could be chosen from the five Congressional Districts, if the validity of these Districts should later be upheld. Of course, sitting in equity, we could redraw the Senatorial and Representative Districts but we see no point in failing to recognize the limitations under which the Court would have to work if using that approach.
We are firmly of the view that orderly preparation for the election of Senators and Representatives in 1967 requires that a final plan for reapportionment of the Legislature, either legislatively enacted or judicially ordered, must be finally approved before December 1, 1966.
In the event a legislative apportionment plan is enacted by the incumbent legislators for the election of their successors on or before December 1, 1966, the Court will examine and consider that plan in light of the constitutional requirements and if it meets those requirements, the plan will be approved and this case dismissed. In the event the Legislature does not enact an acceptable plan on or before December 1, 1966, this Court will proceed with its own plan by which the new legislators and senators are to be elected.
That which has herein appeared shall constitute the findings of fact and conclusions of law in this case, and an order accordingly will be prepared and entered by the Court.
*969 Any motion, plea, or pleading not herein disposed of may be considered as left pending the final Judgment in the cause, and, as already stated, we do not here deal with the matter of Congressional Redistricting.
APPENDIX
Schedule 1
COMPARISON OF MISSISSIPPI STATE LEGISLATIVE AREAS
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
% of
Norm
Over
State's
Population
For
(+) Or
Population
Number
Represented
State
Under
% Over
Represented
of
By Each
As A
(-)
Or Under
By Each
Areas
Population
Legislators
Legislator
Whole
Norm
Norm
Legislator
10—Legislator Areas (1)
187,045
10
18,705
12,518
6,187+
49.425+
0.859(1)
7—Legislator Areas (1)
119,489
7
17,070
12,518
4,552+
36.364+
0.784
5—Legislator Areas (4)
198,582
20
9,929
12,518
2,589-
20.682-
0.456(1)
4—Legislator Areas (8)
422,003
32
13,188
12,518
670+
5.352+
0.605
3—Legislator Areas (35)
1,251,022
105
11,914
12,518
604-
4.825-
0.547
State Norm (Average) (49)
2,178,141
174
12,518
12,518
0.575
Schedule 2
MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMPUTATIONS BY COUNTY—NUMBER-OF-REPRESENTATIVES GROUPS
--------------------------------------------------------
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OR SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
-------------------------------------------
Population
% of State's
Number
Represented
Population
of
By Each
Norm For
Over (+)
% Over
Represented
Represen-
Represen-
State As
Or Under (-)
Or Under
By Each
Population
tatives
tative
A Whole
Norm
Norm
Member
One-Member Counties (58)
919,740
58
15,858
17,854
1,996-
11.180-
0.728 *
Multiple-Member Counties (24)
1,258,401
64
19,663
17,854
1,809+
10.132+
0.903 *
State Norm (Average)
2,178,141
122
17,854
17,854
0.820 *
One-Member Counties (58)
919,740
58
15,858
17,854
1,996-
11.180-
0.728 **
Two-Member Counties (17)
636,582
34
18,723
17,854
869+
4.867+
0.860 **
Three-Member Counties (5)
315,285
15
21,019
17,854
3,165+
17.727+
0.965 **
Six-Member Counties (1)
119,489
6
19,915
17,854
2,061+
11.544+
0.914 **
Nine-Member Counties (1)
187,045
9
20,783
17,854
2,929+
16.405+
0.954 **
State Norm (Average)
2,178,141
122
17,854
17,854
0.820 **
Schedule 3
COMPARISON OF LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION BY COUNTIES
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
Population
Number
Represented
Norm For
Over (+)
% Over
of
By Each
State As
Or Under (-)
Or Under
County
Population
Legislators
Legislator
A Whole
Norm
Norm
Adams
37,730
3.0
12,577
12,518
59+
0.471
Alcorn
25,282
1.5
16,855
12,518
4,337+
34.646
Amite
15,573
1.5
10,382
12,518
2,136-
17.063
Attala
21,335
1.67
12,775
12,518
257+
2.053
Benton
7,723
1.5
5,149
12,518
7,369-
58.867
Bolivar
54,464
4.0
13,616
12,518
1,098+
8.771
Calhoun
15,941
1.5
10,627
12,518
1,891-
15.106
Carroll
11,177
1.5
7,451
12,518
5,067-
40.478
Chickasaw
16,891
1.5
11,261
12,518
1,257-
10.042
Choctaw
8,423
1.67
5,044
12,518
7,474-
59.706
Claiborne
10,845
1.5
7,230
12,518
5,288-
42.243
Clarke
16,493
1.5
10,995
12,518
1,523-
12.166
Clay
18,933
1.5
12,622
12,518
104+
0.831
Coahoma
46,212
3.0
15,404
12,518
2,886+
23.055
Copiah
27,051
2.5
10,820
12,518
1,698-
13.564
Covington
13,637
1.5
9,091
12,518
3,427-
27.377
DeSoto
23,891
1.5
15,927
12,518
3,409+
27.233
Forrest
52,722
3.0
17,574
12,518
5,056+
40.390
Franklin
9,286
1.5
6,191
12,518
6,327-
50.543
George
11,098
1.25
8,878
12,518
3,640-
29.078
Greene
8,366
1.25
6,693
12,518
5,825-
46.533
Grenada
18,409
1.67
11,023
12,518
1,495-
11.943
Hancock
14,039
1.5
9,359
12,518
3,159-
25.236
Harrison
119,489
7.0
17,070
12,518
4,552+
36.364
Hinds
187,045
10.0
18,705
12,518
6,187+
49.425
Holmes
27,096
3.0
9,032
12,518
3,486-
27.848
Humphreys
19,093
1.33
14,356
12,518
1,838+
14.683
Issaquena
3,576
1.33
2,689
12,518
9,829-
78.519
Itawamba
15,080
1.5
10,053
12,518
2,465-
19.692
Jackson
55,522
4.0
13,881
12,518
1,363+
10.888
Jasper
16,909
1.5
11,273
12,518
1,245-
9.946
Jefferson
10,142
1.5
6,761
12,518
5,757-
45.990
Jefferson Davis
13,540
1.5
9,027
12,518
3,491-
27.888
Jones
59,542
4.0
14,886
12,518
2,368+
18.917
Kemper
12,277
1.5
8,185
12,518
4,333-
34.614
Lafayette
21,355
1.5
14,237
12,518
1,719+
13.732
Lamar
13,675
1.5
9,117
12,518
3,401-
27.169
Lauderdale
67,119
4.0
16,780
12,518
4,262+
34.047
Lawrence
10,215
1.5
6,810
12,518
5,708-
45.598
Leake
18,660
1.67
11,174
12,518
1,344-
10.737
Lee
40,589
3.0
13,530
12,518
1,012+
8.084
Leflore
47,142
3.0
15,714
12,518
3,196+
25.531
Lincoln
26,759
2.5
10,704
12,518
1,814-
14.491
Lowndes
46,639
3.0
15,546
12,518
3,028+
24.189
Madison
32,904
3.0
10,968
12,518
1,550-
12.382
Marion
23,293
1.5
15,529
12,518
3,011+
24.053
Marshall
24,503
1.5
16,335
12,518
3,817+
30.492
Monroe
33,953
3.0
11,318
12,518
1,200-
9.586
Montgomery
13,320
1.5
8,880
12,518
3,638-
29.062
Neshoba
20,927
1.5
13,951
12,518
1,433+
11.448
Newton
19,517
1.67
11,687
12,518
831-
6.638
Noxubee
16,826
1.5
11,217
12,518
1,301-
10.393
Oktibbeha
26,175
1.5
17,450
12,518
4,932+
39.399
Panola
28,791
3.0
9,597
12,518
2,921-
23.334
Pearl River
22,411
1.5
14,941
12,518
2,423+
19.356
Perry
8,745
1.25
6,996
12,518
5,522-
44.112
Pike
35,063
3.0
11,688
12,518
830-
6.630
Pontotoc
17,232
1.5
11,488
12,518
1,030-
8.228
Prentiss
17,949
1.5
11,966
12,518
552-
4.410
Quitman
21,019
1.5
14,013
12,518
1,495+
11.943
Rankin
34,322
3.0
11,441
12,518
1,077-
8.604
Scott
21,187
1.67
12,687
12,518
169+
1.350
Sharkey
10,738
1.33
8,074
12,518
4,444-
35.501
Simpson
20,454
1.5
13,636
12,518
1,118+
8.931
Smith
14,303
1.5
9,535
12,518
2,983-
23.830
Stone
7,013
1.25
5,610
12,518
6,908-
55.185
Sunflower
45,750
3.0
15,250
12,518
2,732+
21.825
Tallahatchie
24,081
1.67
14,420
12,518
1,902+
15.194
Tate
18,138
1.5
12,092
12,518
426-
3.403
Tippah
15,093
1.5
10,062
12,518
2,456-
19.620
Tishomingo
13,889
1.5
9,259
12,518
3,259-
26.035
Tunica
16,826
1.5
11,217
12,518
1,301-
10.393
Union
18,904
1.5
12,603
12,518
85+
0.679
Walthall
13,512
1.5
9,008
12,518
3,510-
28.040
Warren
42,206
3.0
14,069
12,518
1,551+
12.390
Washington
78,638
4.0
19,660
12,518
7,142+
57.054
Wayne
16,258
1.5
10,839
12,518
1,679-
13.413
Webster
10,580
1.5
7,053
12,518
5,465-
43.657
Wilkinson
13,235
1.5
8,823
12,518
3,695-
29.517
Winston
19,246
1.67
11,525
12,518
993-
7.933
Yalobusha
12,502
1.67
7,486
12,518
5,032-
40.198
Yazoo
31,653
3.0
10,551
12,518
1,967-
15.713
Norm (Average)
2,178,141
174
12,518
12,518
NOTE: Percentage computations have been carried to three decimal
places only, which is deemed enough to insure substantial accuracy.
Schedule 4
COMPARSION OF LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION BY SENATORIAL DISTRICTS
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
Norm
Over
Senatorial
Population
For
+ Or
Districts
Number
Represented
State
Under
% Over
And Counties
of
By Each
As A
(-)
Or Under
Composing Same
Population
Legislators
Legislator
Whole
Norm
Norm
1 Hinds
187,045
10.0
18,705
12,518
6,187+
49.425
2 Harrison
119,489
7.0
17,070
12,518
4,552+
36.364
3 Washington
78,638
4.0
19,660
12,518
7,142+
57.054
4 Lauderdale
67,119
4.0
16,780
12,518
4,262+
34.047
5 Jones
59,542
4.0
14,886
12,518
2,368+
18.917
6 Jackson
55,522
4.0
13,881
12,518
1,363+
10.888
7 Bolivar
54,464
4.0
13,616
12,518
1,098+
8.771
8 Forrest
52,722
3.0
17,574
12,518
5,056+
40.390
9 Leflore
47,142
3.0
15,714
12,518
3,196+
25.531
10 Lowndes
46,639
3.0
15,546
12,518
3,028+
24.189
11 Coahoma
46,212
3.0
15,404
12,518
2,886+
23.055
12 Sunflower
45,750
3.0
15,250
12,518
2,732+
21.825
13 Warren
42,206
3.0
14,069
12,518
1,551+
12.390
14 Lee
40,589
3.0
13,530
12,518
1,012+
8.084
15 Adams
37,730
3.0
12,577
12,518
59+
0.471
16 Pike
35,063
3.0
11,688
12,518
830-
6.630
17 Rankin
34,322
3.0
11,441
12,518
1,077-
8.604
18 Monroe
33,953
3.0
11,318
12,518
1,200-
9.586
19 Madison
32,904
3.0
10,968
12,518
1,550-
12.382
20 Yazoo
31,653
3.0
10,551
12,518
1,967-
15.713
21 Panola
28,791
3.0
9,597
12,518
2,921-
23.334
22 Holmes
27,096
3.0
9,032
12,518
3,486-
27.848
23 Alcorn, Prentiss
43,231
3.0
14,410
12,518
1,892+
15.114
24 Tishomingo, Itawamba
28,969
3.0
9,656
12,518
2,862-
22.863
25 Tippah, Union
33,997
3.0
11,332
12,518
1,186-
9.474
26 Marshall, Benton
32,226
3.0
10,742
12,518
1,776-
14.188
27 Lafayette, Pontotoc
38,587
3.0
12,862
12,518
344+
2.748
28 Tunica, Quitman
37,845
3.0
12,615
12,518
97+
0.775
29 DeSoto, Tate
42,029
3.0
14,010
12,518
1,492+
11.919
30 Issaquena, Sharkey, Humphreys
33,407
4.0
8,352
12,518
4,166-
33.280
31 Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, Grenada
54,992
5.0
10,998
12,518
1,520-
12.143
32 Calhoun, Webster
26,521
3.0
8,840
12,518
3,678-
29.382
33 Chickasaw, Clay
35,824
3.0
11,941
12,518
577-
4.609
34 Attala, Choctaw, Winston
49,004
5.0
9,801
12,518
2,717-
21.705
35 Oktibbeha, Noxubee
43,001
3.0
14,334
12,518
1,816+
14.507
36 Montgomery, Carroll
24,497
3.0
8,166
12,518
4,352-
34.766
37 Neshoba, Kemper
33,204
3.0
11,068
12,518
1,450-
11.583
38 Leake, Scott, Newton
59,364
5.0
11,873
12,518
645-
5.153
39 Smith, Jasper
31,212
3.0
10,404
12,518
2,114-
16.888
40 Clarke, Wayne
32,751
3.0
10,917
12,518
1,601-
12.790
41 Simpson, Covington
34,091
3.0
11,364
12,518
1,154-
9.219
42 Perry, Greene, George, Stone
35,222
5.0
7,044
12,518
5,474-
43.729
43 Hancock, Pearl River
36,450
3.0
12,150
12,518
368-
2.940
44 Claiborne, Jefferson
20,987
3.0
6,996
12,518
5,522-
44.112
45 Wilkinson, Amite
28,808
3.0
9,603
12,518
2,915-
23.286
46 Lincoln, Franklin
36,045
4.0
9,011
12,518
3,507-
28.016
47 Copiah, Lawrence
37,266
4.0
9,317
12,518
3,201-
25.571
48 Walthall, Marion
36,805
3.0
12,268
12,518
250-
1.997
49 Jefferson Davis, Lamar
27,215
3.0
9,072
12,518
3,446-
27.528
Norm (Average)
2,178,141
174
12,518
12,518
Schedule 5
----------
MINIMUM NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF STATE'S POPULATION
---------------------------------------------------
REQUIRED TO ELECT A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS OF STATE
------------------------------------------------
SENATE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
--------------------------------------------------
Number
of
Senatorial District
Population
Senators
-------------------
----------
--------
State
2,178,141
52
---------
--
44 Claiborne, Jefferson
20,987
1
34 Attala, Choctaw, Winston
49,004
2
36 Montgomery, Carroll
24,497
1
32 Calhoun, Webster
26,521
1
22 Holmes
27,096
1
49 Jefferson Davis, Lamar
27,215
1
31 Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, Grenada
54,992
2
21 Panola
28,791
1
45 Wilkinson, Amite
28,808
1
24 Tishomingo, Itawamba
28,969
1
38 Leake, Scott, Newton
59,364
2
39 Smith, Jasper
31,212
1
20 Yazoo
31,653
1
26 Marshall, Benton
32,226
1
40 Clarke, Wayne
32,751
1
19 Madison
32,904
1
37 Neshoba, Kemper
33,204
1
30 Issaquena, Sharkey, Humphreys
33,407
1
18 Monroe
33,953
1
25 Tippah, Union
33,997
1
41 Simpson, Covington
34,091
1
17 Rankin
34,322
1
16 Pike
35,063
1
42 Perry, Greene, George, Stone
35,222
1
Totals
810,249
27
% of State Totals
37.199%
51.923%
Remainder of State Totals
1,367,892
25
% of State Totals
62.801%
48.077%
Schedule 6
----------
MINIMUM NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF STATE'S POPULATION
---------------------------------------------------
REQUIRED TO ELECT A MAJORITY OF MEMBERS
---------------------------------------
OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
---------------------------
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF SCR NO. 101 OF 1962
-------------------------------------------
Number of
of
Counties
Population
Representatives
--------
----------
---------------
State
2,178,141
122
---------
---
Issaquena
3,576
1
Stone
7,013
1
Benton
7,723
1
Greene
8,366
1
Choctaw
8,423
1
Perry
8,745
1
Franklin
9,286
1
Jefferson
10,142
1
Lawrence
10,215
1
Webster
10,580
1
Sharkey
10,738
1
Claiborne
10,845
1
George
11,098
1
Carroll
11,177
1
Kemper
12,277
1
Yalobusha
12,502
1
Wilkinson
13,235
1
Montgomery
13,320
1
Lincoln
26,759
2
Walthall
13,512
1
Jefferson Davis
13,540
1
Holmes
27,096
2
Copiah
27,051
2
Covington
13,637
1
Lamar
13,675
1
Tishomingo
13,889
1
Hancock
14,039
1
Smith
14,303
1
Panola
28,791
2
Itawamba
15,080
1
Tippah
15,093
1
Amite
15,573
1
Yazoo
31,653
2
Calhoun
15,941
1
Wayne
16,258
1
Madison
32,904
2
Clarke
16,493
1
Noxubee
16,826
1
Tunica
16,826
1
Chickasaw
16,891
1
Jasper
16,909
1
Monroe
33,953
2
Rankin
34,322
2
Pontotoc
17,232
1
Pike
35,063
2
Prentiss
17,949
1
Bolivar
54,464
3
Tate
18,138
1
Grenada
18,409
1
Leake
18,660
1
Clay
18,933
1
------
--
Totals
879,123
62
% of State Totals
40.361%
50.820%
-------
-------
Remainder of State Totals
1,299,018
60
% of State Totals
59.639%
49.180%
-------
-------

All Citations

256 F.Supp. 962, 10 Fed.R.Serv.2d 352

Footnotes

Rule 17(b) Capacity to Sue or Be Sued. The capacity of an individual, other than one acting in a representative capacity, to sue or be sued shall be determined by the law of his domicile. The capacity of a corporation to sue or be sued shall be determined by the law under which it was organized. In all other cases capacity to sue or be sued shall be determined by the law of the state in which the district court is held, except (1) that a partnership or other unincorporated association, which has no such capacity by the law of such state, may sue or be sued in its common name for the purpose of enforcing for or against it a substantive right existing under the Constitution or laws of the United States * * *.’
1
Difference between percentage of highest and lowest group is 0.403%.
Difference between percentage of highest group and state norm is 0.284%.
Difference between percentage of lowest group and state norm is 0.119%.
5—,4—, and 3—Legislator Areas combined, comprising 157 members, or 90.230% of total membership of Legislature, and covering 85.927% of state's population, averages 11,921 people per Legislator against the state norm of 12,518, and also averages 0.547% of total state population per member, as against state norm of 0.575% per member, a difference of only 0.028%.
* Difference between one-member and multiple-member counties as a whole is only 0.175%.
Difference between one-member counties and State Norm is only 0.092%.
Difference between multiple-member counties and State Norm is only 0.083%.
**
Largest difference between highest and lowest percentage in this group is only 0.237%.
Difference between highest percentage and State Norm is only 0.145%.
Difference between lowest percentage and State Norm is only 0.092%.
NOTE:
Percentage computations have been carried to three decimal places only, which is deemed enough to insure substantial accuracy.
End of Document© 2024 Thomson Reuters. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.