Political Awareness

Article 1: Changing the Maps: Tracking Mid-Decade Redistricting

https://www.ncsl.org/redistricting-and-census/changing-the-maps-tracking-mid-decade-redistricting

Brief Synopsis:

In 2025 states are doing redistricting at rates not seen since the 1800s

-In Florida (the only state) lawmakers have taken steps to begin redistricting

-Indiana legislature had voted in late 2025 to propose new maps and redistrict

Some states that have met with White House officials and may consider redistricting include Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and New York

Article 2: Redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections

https://ballotpedia.org/Redistricting_ahead_of_the_2026_elections

Brief Synopsis:

States must redistrict every 10 years following the national census. This is to keep equality among populations through fair representation in the House. Every state redistricted in 2020 but many states want to revise their maps before the 2026 elections.

Recently, in January, Republicans have a 218-213 majority in the House, in 2018 the midterm elections, Democrats had more seats.

January 2026, five states have redrawn their congressional maps, four of the states voluntarily redistricted (California, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio and Texas)

Two states were subjected to change their maps due to litigation or law (Ohio and Utah). Before 2025, only two of the states had voluntarily done a mid-decade redistricting for decades (since 1970).

-Ohio is the only state required by law to redistrict in 2026

-States that are subject to change from litigation before the 2026 elections; Georgia, Louisiana, Utah, New York

-Alabama, Michigan, and Mississippi have enacted new legislative maps before the 2026 elections

Article 3: Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting: Key Issues

https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13082

Brief Synopsis:

The process begins after the census results are calculated and many in the House draw new district boundaries for Representatives. However, beside the court ordered redistricting efforts, many states have not undergone any significant redistricting.

Fourteenth Amendment requires the House of Representatives be based on state population sizes determining the number of representation per state. This is based on the national census within a 10 year period. Maps must meet standards of equal protection under the amendment.

The Constitution has no specificity on how the House seats are to be split but does limit one Representative per 30,000 people. Each state must at least have one Representative

• Mid-decade redistricting not upheld in the Constitution or federal law; currently North Carolina, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania prohibit mid-decade redistricting but does not have statutory provisions with mid-decade redistricting
• Dividing House seats proportionally with the 50 states is apportionment while determining where district boundaries are within a state is redistricting
• New York currently has an explicit prohibition on mid-decade congressional redistricting (unless modified by a court order)
• Congressional districts MUST comply with constitutional and court rulings
• Population equality standard = in a congressional election one vote is equal to another’s (all votes have equal standing)
• Connecticut kept the same districts for 70 years (1841-1912)
• Since the mid 2000’s it is estimated that 50 bills have been introduced to Congress that would not allow states to carry out more than one congressional redistricting after a decennial census

Major-minority district is when a racial or language group compromises voting majority

In late 2025 the Supreme Court was scheduled to consider Louisiana V. Callais which would clarify if fixing the majority-minority disproportion in voting would violate the 14th or 15th Amendment Elections clause provides the states with authority to administer elections in their jurisdictions and provides Congress the ability to override state laws when regulating federal elections The Permanent Apportionment Act of 1929; Federal Legislation that restricted the number of seats to 435 in the House. Also established a process that reallocates the seats every 10-years after the census Congress could require states to conduct mid-decade redistricting (every 5 years) they also could consider changing the timeline and establish deadlines by which states MUST complete their redistricting processes.

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