Reform: 2021 Gerrymandering Threat Index by Nonprofit Group “RepresentUs”

By EditorApr 07, 2021

RepresentUs, a nonprofit advocacy group, released an online app and 160-page Gerrymandering Threat Index report which measures each state's risk level for gerrymandering activity during the 2020 redistricting cycle. By its measure, 35 states have an extreme or high threat of gerrymandering or 70% of the nation, including over 188 million Americans. The index measures a state's likelihood that it will enact "gerrymandered" maps based on several factors including whether politicians draw maps, how transparent the process is, the robustness of legal criteria, the likelihood of partisan line-drawing, and how difficult maps are to challenge in court. Browse the risk…

Partisan Gerrymandering, Redistricting, Redistricting Gerrymandersnational, policyindepth, reform, reformpage

NCSL Overview: Reallocating Incarcerated Persons for Redistricting

By EditorMar 17, 2021

In this recent article, the National Conference of State Legislatures gives an overview of the fairly recent practice of prisoner reallocation in redistricting. This process refers to counting prisoners at their home address for redistricting purposes instead of the prison's address - which is what the census does. Prisoner reallocation involves obtaining records from prison officials and careful adjustment of official census data files. This overview explains the practice and how it relates to representation. Since this article was first published, Illinois became the tenth state to mandate prisoner reallocation beginning in 2030. Feb. 18, 2021: States redistrict their legislative…

FEATURES, Redistricting, Redistricting PrisonersAnalysis, policyindepth, Prison gerrymandering, prisoner reallocation, prisoners

Here’s the Compressed 2021 Timeline for State Congressional Maps if Congress Passes HR1

By Jeffrey M. WiceMar 15, 2021

H.R. 1—the For the People Act—mandates significant changes to states’ congressional redistricting processes beginning with the post-2020 census redistricting in 2021. Under H.R. 1, a state’s congressional redistricting plan must be approved by a 15-member independent redistricting commission. The first six Commissioners are randomly chosen from a 36-member Selection Pool, and those six Commissioners then appoint the final nine. If a state does not form the required commission, a federal three-judge court will draw the district lines. I along with my colleague and Fellow at the New York Law School, Nicholas P. Stabile, have drafted this quick timeline for what…

Enacting a Redistricting Map, LATEST, RedistrictingAnalysis, enacting, HR1, IN-DEPTH, Independent Redistricting Commission, lpother, national, policyindepth

Amendments to H.R. 1 Take Congressional Map-Drawing Out of the Hands of State Legislatures in 2021

By EditorMar 03, 2021

In mid-February, we reported about potential sweeping reforms of the congressional redistricting process in the states proposed by Congress. The bill (H.R. 1) would have been effective in 2030 but newly added amendments on Monday, make it a requirement for states this year. Yes. This year. The amended H.R.1 requires states to either create an agency to establish a commission or designate an existing one to carry out a detailed commissioner selection process. The procedural requirements are substantial and maps created by the commission must meet various rigorous statistical measures to avoid partisan gerrymandering. A vote is scheduled on the…

LATEST, Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting Criteria, REFORMcongress, national, partisan gerrymandering, policyindepth, redistricting reform

California Redistricting Commission Launches Communities of Interest Tool

By EditorMar 03, 2021

PRESS RELEASE 2020 California Citizens Redistricting CommissionLaunches Communities of Interest Tool SACRAMENTO, CA—Today, the 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission (Commission) and the California Statewide Database announced the launch of the Communities of Interest (COI) input tool, designed to make it easier for Californians to participate in the redistricting process. Every 10 years, after the federal government publishes updated census information, California must redraw the boundaries of its Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts so that the state’s population is evenly allocated among the new districts. When the Commission creates new districts, it must follow certain…

Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting CriteriaCalifornia, coi tool, communities of interest, policyindepth, press-releases, redistricting commissions, STATENEWS

Redistricting Commissions are Now in a Majority of States

By EditorFeb 22, 2021

In case you missed it, as of this January when Maryland’s Governor announced the creation of an advisory redistricting commission, 26 states now have some form of a redistricting commission. Other recent additions include Ohio and Virginia. Commissions with Power to Enact a Map These commissions have the initial (and sometimes ultimate authority) to enact a redistricting map for a state. This includes “citizen” or “independent” commissions, in addition to appointed or hybrid commissions. AlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoHawaiiIdahoMichiganMissouriMontanaNew JerseyOhioPennsylvaniaWashingtonSome but not all of these commissions listed have authority over “both” congressional and legislative maps. Advisory or Backup Commissions Advisory commissions go through the…

Official Redistricting Entities, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissionscommission, policyindepth, redistricting commissions, STATENEWS

CA Redistricting Commission Reviewing Applications for Litigation Team and Voting Rights Counsel

By Michelle DavisFeb 17, 2021

The voting rights act counsel would provide legal support to the Commission, staff and consultants regarding the redistricting process, including the review of proposed district maps; development, use and analysis of Racially Polarized Voting (“RPV”) data, preparation of legal memoranda and general legal advice to the Commission. The commission is also seeking a litigation team in the event that any or all of its redistricting maps (Congressional, and State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization) are challenged in state or federal court. To that end, the commission is seeking is seeking “statements of qualifications” (SOQ) from attorneys, including law firms…

NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting PrepCalifornia, commission, policyindepth, STATENEWS

What’s New About Redistricting in 2020? – It’s Going To Start Late

By EditorFeb 11, 2021

Really late. The pre-Covid decades were very much predictable in terms of census data releases. The apportionment data, pursuant to statute, would be delivered to the President and Congress by Dec. 31, and redistricting was delivered to the states on a rolling basis throughout March. States with early primaries in that year would get their data first. By April 1 every state would have all of the data needed to begin the redistricting process. This decade, the census data timeline has been delayed and is riddled with uncertainty. The apportionment data was promised by the Census Bureau in January, then…

FEATURES, Redistricting, Redistricting Functions, Redistricting Prepapportionment, census, census 2020, national, policyindepth, U.S. Census Bureau

Maryland Governor Creates Citizens Redistricting Commission

By EditorJan 31, 2021

Gov. Larry Hogan announced that he would establish The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission to redraw the state's congressional and state legislative boundaries. The application period for members of the public to apply to be on the commission is now open. The commission will consist of 3 members appointed by the governor and 6 members of the public who are selected by the initial three after applying through the application process. The governor's appointees are Judge Alexander Williams (democrat), Walter Olsen (Republican), and Dr. Kathleen Hetherington (Independent). Williams is a retired Judge of the United States District Court for the District…

Enacting a Redistricting Map, NEWS, Official Redistricting Entities, POLICY and PRACTICE, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, REFORM, VIDEOIndependent Redistricting Commission, Maryland, policyindepth, redistricting commissions, STATENEWS, States

Watch: The New Virginia Redistricting Commission Conducts its First Full Meeting

By EditorJan 31, 2021

The brand new 2021 Virginia Redistricting Commission is up and running. This is new for the state, so all eyes will be on the 16-member commission as redistricting looms. You can watch the meetings here on RedistrictingOnline. Watch commission meetings via Redistrictingonline's Youtube playlist or the Virginia state info page to keep up to date on the commission and redistricting in Virginia in general. The commission is made up of eight citizen members and eight members of the state General Assembly. The commission held its first meeting as a full commission on January 21. There will lots for the commissioners…

FEATURES, LATEST, POLICY and PRACTICE, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, VIDEOcommission, meetings, policyindepth, redistricting, STATENEWS, States, Virginia