Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 census, showing which states will gain and lose congressional seats for the next decade.
This is the first major step in the redistricting sequence that will unfold over the coming months.
What comes next? Most states are expected to begin their redistricting processes in mid-to-late August. The U.S. Census Bureau is expected to release more detailed redistricting data (beyond the initial topline numbers we now have) to the states and the public by September 30.
These will be used to draw congressional, legislative and local government district maps.
This is an important process. Redistricting affects every single person living in the United States. It determines where congressional and legislative districts are located, and this in turn impacts whether politicians are held accountable to the communities they serve.
Every American deserves fair representation and fair maps. However, partisan gerrymandering is still a real problem in many states, with many politicians remaining unchecked as their political teams feed information from the census data into computers with access to unimaginably detailed voter and personal data to draw maps that advantage their own interests over those of the voters.
A fundamental principle of democracy is that voters should be choosing their politicians, not the other way around. However, in many states, politicians are still able to pick their voters to keep themselves stay in power. This is bad for democracy not only because it is fundamentally unfair but also because it results in increased political polarization in Congress and state legislatures.
We at CLC are committed to advancing democracy through law, and that includes fighting for fair representation. Here are some of the ways CLC plans to fight for fair maps in the coming months:
We’ll be working to help local advocates score the partisanship of redistricting plans, to help Americans gauge the fairness of maps as they are proposed.
The passage of the For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) in Congress remains a top priority. If passed and signed into law, this bill would ensure every state has an independent redistricting commission (IRC) for drawing congressional districts, instead of letting politicians pick their voters. This would benefit Republicans, Democrats and Independents. The U.S. Senate needs to pass this to ensure fair maps nationwide.
CLC is raising awareness about fair maps on social media. This past Friday, CLC organized #OurFairMaps Day, and invited people from across the country to share why fair maps matter to them. Here’s my own video. We hope to continue this momentum on social media in the coming months.
CLC is in court right now defending Michigan’s voter-approved IRC. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit heard oral arguments in March, and we are awaiting further developments. It is possible that this will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and we will be ready to continue our defense if that is the case.
Fair representation isn’t just about Congress and state legislatures—it’s about political power at the local level, too.Yakima County, Washington uses a voting system that consistently prevents its Latino residents from electing their preferred candidates to the County Commission. CLC’s redistricting team will head into trial in July, arguing that the Washington Voting Rights Act provides an avenue to ensure every Yakima County resident can have their voice heard in local government. The outcome in this trial could be important for the future of litigation related to other states’ state-level voting rights acts.
Finally, in an ideal scenario, all maps will be drawn fairly, but for now we’ll be watchdogging for maps that impinge on voters’ freedom to choose their own representatives, and we’ll act where we can. We will likely be monitoring states with one-party rule most closely and ensuring compliance with the Voting Rights Act’s protections for minority voters.
Gerrymandering is a threat to fair representation, but if we act to address it, every vote can count equally, and every voice can be heard.
The nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center is dedicated to advancing democracy through law at the federal, state and local levels, fighting for every American’s rights to responsive government and a fair opportunity to participate in and affect the democratic process.
