In the 2010 midterm elections Republicans won a majority of governorships while gaining control of state legislatures across the country. This electoral success gives them greater influence when congressional districts begin to be redrawn in 2011. In 38 states, governors and state legislatures play a key role in this redistricting process, and the party in charge of drawing a state’s election map thus can shape the political landscape for years to come.
The Constitution requires that the number of seats in the House be recalculated following each national census, a process known as reapportionment. The Census Bureau is scheduled to report 2010 state population figures in December, which will kick off this process. If a state has lost population since 2000, it will likely lose a seat (or seats), but if its population has grown, its congressional delegation may be enlarged.
The Supreme Court has held that each House district should contain a roughly equal number of people. Therefore, redistricting is needed to adjust the boundaries of voter districts to account for the addition/subtraction of congressional seats as well as population shifts within a state. In the hands of politicians, redistricting has led to the drawing of “safe” districts that can be counted on (most of the time) to return incumbent lawmakers to office. One critic of this highly politicized process says it results in “legislators . . . selecting their voters, instead of voters selecting their lawmakers.”
About a dozen states rely on nonpartisan or bipartisan panels to draw district lines in a way that both political parties view as fair. These commissions are prevented from using voter-registration or party-preference data. They submit their maps to legislators for a simple vote.
Related Links
- Republicans’ Gains in Legislatures Boost Redistricting Powers
This article analyzes what the 2010 election outcome means for redistricting across the nation.
(Source: Bloomberg.com, November 3, 2010) - Judge Blocks Florida Redistricting Amendment
This news article discusses the ruling of a Florida judge preventing a proposed redistricting amendment on the grounds it may violate the state’s constitution.
(Source: Tampa Bay Times, July 9, 2010) - GOP Targets Big Prize in State Elections This Fall: Redistricting
This article analyzes the potential impact of the 2010 midterm elections on redistricting; includes a brief video of a Republican strategist who predicted a “wave election” favorable to the Republican Party.
(Source: Science Monitor, July 29, 2010) - Census Sets Off a Battle to Redraw Voter Districts—and Power in Congress
This opinion piece advocates for an alternative to the traditional partisan redistricting process in the hands of elected state officials: to have maps drawn by nonpartisan or bipartisan commissions.
(Source: Christian Science Monitor, July 16, 2010)