The boundaries of four counties in the Chickasaw Nation were established by Resolution in Relation to Striking Boundary Lines approved by Governor B.F. Overton on October 17, 1876. The boundaries were drawn in such a way as to make the Chickasaw population of each county approximately equal. In 1876, in the Chickasaw House of Representatives, the counties of Panola and Pontotoc were represented by five representatives each, and the counties of Pickens and Tishomingo were represented by four each.
The Chickasaw Constitution of 1983 retained the same boundaries but labeled them as “Districts.” The Constitution provides that the total number of Legislators is 13, that each District shall have at least one Legislator and that the apportionment among the districts is based upon the number of registered living in or affiliating with each district unless the Tribal Legislature adopts some other apportionment plan.
Demographics have changed over the years and today Pontotoc District (yellow) is represented by five Legislators, Pickens District (red) is represented by four Legislators, Tishomingo District (green) is represented by three Legislators and Panola District (purple) is represented by one Legislator.