Special master candidates submitted to court in DPPJ gerrymandering lawsuit remediation phase

MANSFIELD, La. – A federal judge expects to adopt a recommendation for new DeSoto Parish Police Jury election district lines near year’s end.

U.S. District Judge Jerry Edwards Jr. finalized a scheduling order two weeks ago setting a Dec. 15 date to adopt the plan that will be coming from a special master who will make the recommendation. The order also sets other deadlines in the remedial phase of the Police Jury's gerrymandering lawsuit. 

A group of DeSoto Parish voters sued the Police Jury three years ago alleging the 11 elected members gerrymandered, or used race, as the guiding factor in redrawing election district lines following the 2020 Census. The lawsuit was put on hold last fall while the U.S. Supreme Court decided the Louisiana v. Callais case.

The high court ruled in April that the state’s congressional redistricting map was unconstitutional because race was used as the primary factor in drawing the district boundaries. The DeSoto plaintiffs contended the same was true of the Police Jury's lines.    

The Police Jury voted last month to seek a resolution to the lawsuit, which has already cost the parish taxpayers more than $340,000. Earlier this month, Judge Edwards signed an order saying the parish governing body can no longer use its existing map in future elections. He also set up a process to appoint a special master – or a third party – to draw the new map.

The plaintiffs and the Police Jury last week agreed to three candidates for consideration. Submitted to the judge were:

• Thomas M. Bryan of Montpelier, Va., estimated cost of $46,000.
• Douglas Johnson of Glendale, Calif., estimated cost of $27,400
• Dannie P. Garrett III of Baton Rouge, flat fee of $27,500.

Edwards will finalize the appointment by July 30.

Interested parties can submit proposed maps to the special master by Aug. 15. The judge expects the special master to produce a proposed plan by Sept. 15, giving until Sept. 30 for responses.

The final plan and report should be submitted by Oct. 15, the judge said, with interested parties having until Oct. 30 to submit responses.