Without Justice approval, residents to vote in current disctricts

BILOXI — The new ward lines approved by the Biloxi City Council haven’t been submitted to the U.S. Justice Department and residents will likely vote in their current districts for the May 7 municipal election.

City officials tell The Sun Herald candidates filing to run in the municipal election are doing so under the current ward lines created in 2004.

The Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State University has been working on Biloxi’s redistricting plan since 2011. The City Council agreed on a plan on Nov. 13 and representatives of the Stennis Institute told the city they are working to submit the plan in the format required by the DOJ.

The redistricting plan that was approved keeps all of the Biloxi City Council members in their current ward.