Political Dictionary
Redistricting is the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries, usually after the census.
Definition
Redistricting is the revision of congressional, state legislative, and local district boundaries to reflect population change and legal requirements. It generally occurs after each decennial census. States use legislatures, commissions, courts, or combinations of these institutions.
Why It Matters
District lines determine which voters elect representatives together and can shape competition, minority representation, community influence, and partisan balance for a decade.
How It Works
Officials receive census data, establish criteria, hold hearings, draft maps, evaluate population equality and legal compliance, adopt boundaries, and defend them against possible court challenges.
History
Redistricting has existed since representative districts were created. Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s established the principle of substantially equal population, while federal law constrains racial discrimination.
Example
A rapidly growing suburban area may gain districts while a region losing population may have districts consolidated.
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