Mississippi Code

Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-1 (2026)

Adoption of mayor-council form authorized

✓ current as of July 2026
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Any municipality, regardless of the form of government under which it is operating, may adopt the mayor-council form of government, as hereinafter provided, by the procedure hereinafter set forth.

Laws, 1973, ch. 328, § 1; Laws, 1976, ch. 355, § 1, eff. 8/23/1976 (the date the United States Attorney General interposed no objection).


Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1978–2023 · leading case: Jordan v. Smith, 669 So. 2d 752 (Miss. 1996).
Jordan v. Smith, 669 So. 2d 752 (Miss. 1996). · cites it 14× “On July 1, 1985, the City adopted the mayor-council form of government pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-1 through § 21-8-47 (1972).”
DuPree v. Carroll, 967 So. 2d 27 (Miss. 2007). · cites it 2× “The City of Hattiesburg has a "mayor-council form of government" adopted under Mississippi Code Section 21-8-1, et seq. (Rev.2007). The city has five wards and five city council persons who act as the legislative branch of government.”
Myers v. City of McComb, 943 So. 2d 1 (Miss. 2006). · cites it 2× “Section 21-8-1 et seq. (Mayor/Council); (5) Miss.”
Kirksey v. City of Jackson, Miss., 461 F. Supp. 1282 (S.D. Miss. 1978). · cites it 4× “under the commission form of government unconstitutionally minimizes and cancels out black voting strength; (2) an injunction enjoining any further municipal primary or general elections for members of the city council on the basis of at-large, citywide voting; (3) an order…”
Fairley v. Hattiesburg, Miss., 584 F.3d 660 (5th Cir. 2009). “See Miss. Code Ann. § 21-8-1 . The mayor is elected at-large.”
Fairley v. Hattiesburg, 122 F. Supp. 3d 553 (S.D. Miss. 2015). · cites it 7× “In 1985, as a result of litigation filed by African-Americans under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Hattiesburg changed its form of government to the mayor-council form of government pursuant to Miss.Code Ann. § 21-8-1 et seq. (Rev.2007).”
Gaddy v. Bucklew, 580 So. 2d 1180 (Miss. 1990). · cites it 4× “FACTS On July 1, 1985, the City of Laurel adopted the mayor-council form of government as provided by Miss.Code Ann. §§ 21-8-1 to -47 (1990). Bucklew became Mayor of Laurel on July 1, 1989, for a term of four years.”
Kirksey v. City of Jackson, Miss., 506 F. Supp. 491 (S.D. Miss. 1981). · cites it 2× “Miss.Code Ann. § 21-8-1 et seq. (1972) as Amended.”
Jamison v. Tupelo, Mississippi, 471 F. Supp. 2d 706 (N.D. Miss. 2007). · cites it 2× “In accordance with Miss.Code Ann. § 21-8-1 et. seq. (1972), Tupelo employs a hybrid election scheme, commonly known as the 7-2 hybrid system, in which seven city council members are elected from single member districts and two city council members are elected at large through…”
Peterson v. City of McComb City, 504 So. 2d 208 (Miss. 1987). “Under § 21-1-11 (1972), this Court takes judicial notice of the class to which a city belongs and of its consequent powers.”
Jordan v. City of Greenwood, 534 F. Supp. 1351 (N.D. Miss. 1982). “; a mayor-council form, under which the mayor is elected at-large and a council consisting of five, seven, or nine members, all of whom are elected from wards, § 21-8-1 et seq. (1981 supp.); and council-manager form, under which the mayor is elected at-large and five council…”
David W. Myers v. City of McComb, Mississippi (Miss. 2005). · cites it 2× “Section 21-8-1 et seq. (Mayor/Council); (5) Miss.”
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