Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:49 pm Wednesday, January 10, 2001

Young, Burton to begin work on redistricting

By Staff
From staff reports
Jan. 10, 2001
JACKSON Two Meridian area legislators are in key positions as a legislative panel begins to redraw the political boundaries from which candidates will run for a variety of offices in Mississippi for at least the next decade.
State Rep. Charles Young, D-Meridian, named by House Speaker Tim Ford, and state Sen. Terry Burton, D-Newton, who was named to the committee Tuesday by Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck are among members of the powerful committee.
By the time their work is done  and it is just now beginning boundaries for Mississippi's congressional districts, legislative and municipal districts and regionally-elected commissions such as Transportation and Public Service may all change.
The committee will work with new census data in determining how to accommodate population shifts in shaping political lines. Its work becomes especially important due to Mississippi's loss of one congressional seat, an action which political observers predict may force a showdown between U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., and U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows, D-Miss. in the 2002 congressional elections.
Already, some state legislators whose districts are oddly shaped are hoping for relief in the next redistricting as the committee maps out the 174 state legislative districts.
One member is Sen. Joseph Stogner, whose district stretches more than 100 miles in south Mississippi and takes in four counties in a pattern resembling a water faucet.
We have some districts right now that are difficult to serve,'' said Stogner, R-Sandy Hook.
The technical process ensures that equal numbers of people as near as possible are in each legislative and congressional district. For example, 2.8 million residents will be split among 52 state Senate districts and 122 House districts.
In the past, some districts have been drawn to help incumbents win re-election, taking into account racial and economic factors.
Stogner said the goal in the 2001 redistricting will be fairness, but when you deal with legislators, there's always going to be politics involved.''
The joint committee will come up with a congressional plan for the Legislature to vote on, likely in a summer special session. A redrawing of legislative districts will likely wait a year.
The joint committee has 19 Democrats and five Republicans, 18 whites and six blacks, and one woman and 23 men. It will work with computers to process census figures down to the voting precincts levels.
Hopefully we can stay away from the gerrymandering districts,'' Burton said.
Mississippi has had five congressmen since 1960. Because the state's population growth did not keep pace with that in other states, Mississippians will only elect four congressmen in future years.
Somebody's going to lose, that's a given,'' said Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, another member of the redistricting committee.
Flaggs said just because more Democrats serve on the committee, Democratic incumbent congressmen will not necessarily receive better treatment.
It could be anybody's ball game once we get in there,'' Flaggs said.

Also on Franklin County Times
Thorpe to play at Blue Mountain Christian
High School Sports, News, Russellville, ...
Brannon King For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE – Brennon Thorpe made his plans official to attend Blue Mountain Christian University and play baseball for the Toppers during a recent s...
Russellville High Class of 1967 gathers, reminisces
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
July 16, 2025
You can’t really go back to the good old days of high school, but you can pay them a visit now and then. That’s exactly what the RHS Class of 1967 has...
Former Cypress Lakes official to lead Guntersville State Park
Lifestyles, News
Bernie Delinski For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
GUNTERSVILLE — Heath Puckett had an Auburn University degree and golf course superintendent certification in his pocket when he arrived at Cypress Lak...
European travel builds bonds across cultures
Lifestyles, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE -- A group of Franklin County travelers spent nine days this summer walking through catacombs, exploring castles and standing in places w...
Little Free Library welcomes readers in East Franklin
Lifestyles, News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Eleven-year-old Aiden Hall is an avid reader, but he doesn’t just want to read books. He also wants to share them, and the way he deci...
King becomes elementary curriculum director
Lifestyles, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
RUSSELVILLE — Molly King says every child can learn, though not necessarily in the same way or on the same day — a belief she plans to carry into her ...
New Junior Leaders begin their training
Franklin County, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
July 16, 2025
FRANKLIN COUNTY — Forty-two high school students from across Franklin County are beginning 10 months of hands-on leadership training and community ser...
Fire destroys 2-story garage, guest suite
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
July 16, 2025
R U S S E L LV I L L E – Jason Gist leaned against the wall of his home with a look of disgust while dozens of firefighters worked to extinguish a fir...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Stories
July 4, 2025Augusto Simon Diaz, 42, of Russellville, passed away July 4. Visitation and funeral were held at Spry Memorial Chapel on July 12 from 2pm ...
July 16, 2025
July 8, 2025Jamie Kerby Cummings, 41, of Russellville, passed away on July 8. Visitation took place July 13, at Spry Memorial Chapel from 1 pm to 3pm....
July 16, 2025
July 11,2025Julie “JuJu” Welch Black, 63, of Russellville, passed away on July 11.Graveside service was held at 1pm on July 13, at Belgreen Cemetery w...
July 16, 2025
July 9, 2025Scott Noel Benford, age 58, of Muscle Shoals, passed away on July 9. Visitation was held at Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville on July 1...
July 16, 2025