Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. All United States Representatives and state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[1]
See the sections below for further information on the following topics:
Background: This section summarizes federal requirements for redistricting at both the congressional and state legislative levels. In addition, recent court decisions affecting redistricting policy are summarized.
Methods: This section provides details about the various redistricting processes used in the states.
Competitiveness: This section summarizes some of the arguments about the impact of redistricting on electoral competitiveness. Margin-of-victory and competitiveness data for congressional and state legislative elections is provided for informational purposes.
Majority-minority districts: This section summarizes the legal basis for the creation of majority-minority districts and details some of the arguments surrounding the practice.
