How the Census Bureau and NCSL Modernized America’s Redistricting System

By EditorOct 07, 2025

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) offers an engaging look at how its decades-long partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau reshaped the way America draws political boundaries. The article, “How NCSL and the Census Bureau Modernized Redistricting,” traces the evolution of that collaboration back to the 1970s, when the chaotic patchwork of state redistricting practices prompted Congress to pass Public Law 94-171. The law required the Census Bureau to deliver population data tailored to state district maps within a year of each census, laying the foundation for the precise, data-driven redistricting process used today. Through behind-the-scenes negotiations and technical…

RedistrictingBasicsnews, ncsl, News, policyindepth, U.S. Census Bureau

Utah Lawmakers Approve New Congressional Map Amid Renewed Court Scrutiny

By EditorOct 06, 2025

Utah’s Republican-led Legislature approved a new congressional map (“Option C”) during a special session on Monday Oct. 6, redrawing boundaries under a court order that barred the 2021 plan from use in 2026. The map, which splits Salt Lake County east–west, is projected to keep all four U.S. House districts leaning Republican while making one seat modestly more competitive. Lawmakers advanced the plan largely along party lines; it now heads into court review on a tight timetable, with election officials indicating new lines must be in place by Nov. 10. (The Salt Lake Tribune) On the same day, lawmakers passed,…

Redistricting, UtahLatest, Utah

Utah Legislators Review 5 Congressional Map Proposals

By EditorSep 23, 2025

Utah lawmakers have released five options for new congressional boundaries and are moving forward with a court-ordered overhaul of the state’s four U.S. House seats. This follows a recent ruling by Judge Dianna Gibson that the Legislature had improperly disregarded the redistricting standards established by Proposition 4 in 2018. Since the maps used since the 2022 election are now prohibited from being used in the 2026 election, the Legislative Redistricting Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss the five proposals. The legislature must adopt a draft map by September 25, which will then undergo a 10-day public comment period and…

Enacting a Redistricting Map, UtahLatest, policyindepth, Utah

Missouri Legislature Adopts New Congressional Map and Initiative Petition Reforms Amid Legal Challenges and Referendum Push

By EditorSep 14, 2025

The Missouri Senate recently concluded a special session by passing a new congressional map and a proposal aimed at restricting the initiative petition process. The redistricting plan, approved by a 21-11 vote, seeks to convert U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's Kansas City-based 5th District into a Republican-leaning seat, marking a significant reversal from past legislative sessions. This push for new district lines was notably influenced by President Donald Trump, who reportedly pressured GOP-led states like Missouri to enact new maps before the 2026 midterm elections. The measure faced strong opposition from Democrats, who questioned the constitutionality of mid-decade redistricting, citing the…

Strategy and Politicsmid-decade redistricting, Missouri, News, policyindepth

Texas Enacts the 1st Mid-Decade Congressional Map Designed to Increase Republican Representation in Congress

By EditorAug 30, 2025

On August 22, the legislature adopted HB 4 in a second special session initially convened on July 21. Governor Greg Abbott signed the mid-decade congressional map on the 29th after an earlier quorum fight stalled action. The House passed the map on August 20 by a vote of 88-52, and the Senate followed on August 23 with an 18-11 vote. The enacted plan is posted by the Texas Legislative Council as "PlanC2333", with statewide PDFs and data available. Find us on:

Texasmid-decade redistricting, Texas, texas redistricting

Why the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) Matters for Local Redistricting Officials

By EditorAug 28, 2025

Every year, the U.S. Census Bureau invites tribal, state, and general-purpose local governments, counties, cities, towns, and minor civil divisions to verify that its legal-boundary file is still accurate. This verification program is the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). For local officials, keeping your boundaries current is not just cartographic housekeeping. BAS data feeds the American Community Survey, the Population Estimates Program, and the TIGER/Line layers that nearly all redistricting platforms rely on. Accurate boundary lines also protect your jurisdiction’s share of the roughly $2.8 trillion in annual federal funds that are allocated by geography. Who should participate and what’s…

Census Data and GeographyBAS, census data, dataindepth, local briefing, local redistricting

Utah Court Throws Out Congressional Map, Orders Redraw

By EditorAug 26, 2025

Utah’s redistricting fight reached a turning point on Monday, when Third District Court Judge Dianna Gibson ruled that lawmakers unconstitutionally repealed the voter‑approved Proposition 4 and ordered the Legislature to enact a remedial congressional map for the 2026 cycle. Proposition 4 passed narrowly by voters in 2018 and was branded “Better Boundaries.” Prop 4 created a seven-member independent redistricting commission and required maps to meet neutral criteria, including equal population, compactness/contiguity, maintaining cities and counties together, respecting communities of interest, and forbidding the drawing of districts to favor or disfavor a party or incumbent unduly. The Legislature could enact or…

Case Updates, State Laws, Utahcaseupdates, Latest, policyindepth, redistricting commissions, Utah

Walking the Tightrope: How Courts Balance Minority Vote Dilution Rules and Racial Gerrymandering Limits

By EditorAug 25, 2025

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act versus the 14th Amendment Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) prohibits any redistricting plan that dilutes the voting power of minorities. Since Thornburg v. Gingles (1986), plaintiffs preliminarily meet that standard by proving three conditions: the minority group must be large and compact enough to form a district, it must vote cohesively, and the white majority must usually defeat the minority’s candidate of choice. When those “Gingles preconditions” are satisfied, federal courts often order the state to draw an additional majority-minority district. The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, however, takes a…

Racial Gerrymandering, Voting Rights Actlawindepth, News, Voting Rights Act

Missouri, New York, and Louisiana Consider Taking Early Steps Toward Possible Mid-Cycle Map Redraws

By EditorAug 22, 2025

All three states are laying procedural groundwork but face distinct hurdles: executive hesitation and intra-party risk in Missouri, constitutional lead times in New York, and judicial uncertainty in Louisiana. Missouri: Gov. Mike Kehoe is “assessing options” for a special session after former President Donald Trump urged a 7-1 GOP map. No draft lines have been released, but Republican leaders say any plan would likely split Kansas City’s 5th District to unseat Democrat Emanuel Cleaver. New York: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie confirms leaders are “having discussions” after Gov. Kathy Hochul floated a Texas-style response, yet notes any mid-decade map would require…

Strategy and Politicslouisiana, mid-decade redistricting, Missouri, new york, policyindepth

California High Court Rejects GOP Bid to Halt Mid-Decade Redistricting Measure

By EditorAug 20, 2025

The California Supreme Court has dismissed a Republican petition that sought to halt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to place a mid-decade congressional redraw on the November ballot, saying that "petitioners [GOP lawmakers] have failed to meet their burden of establishing a basis for relief at this time under California Constitution article IV, section 8." The unsigned order, issued Aug. 20, leaves in place Democrats’ “gut-and-amend” legislation that would temporarily suspend the state’s independent redistricting commission and let voters decide whether to adopt new maps projected to add up to five Democratic seats, an answer to Texas Republicans’ July remap. The…

California, Strategy and PoliticsCalifornia, lawindepth, mid-decade redistricting, STATENEWS