The 2020 United States redistricting cycle took place following the completion of the 2020 United States census. In all fifty states, various bodies redrew state legislative districts. States that are apportioned more than one seat in the United States House of Representatives also drew new districts for that legislative body.
The rules for redistricting vary from state to state, but all states draw new legislative and congressional maps either in the state legislature, in redistricting commissions, or through some combination of the state legislature and a redistricting commission. Though various laws and court decisions have put constraints on redistricting, many redistricting institutions continue to practice gerrymandering, which involves drawing new districts with the intention of giving a political advantage to specific groups.Miller, pp. 10-11 Political parties prepare for redistricting years in advance, and partisan control of redistricting institutions can provide a party with major advantages. Aside from the possibility of mid-decade redistricting, the districts drawn in the 2020 redistricting cycle will remain in effect until the next round of redistricting following the 2030 United States census.
United States House of Representatives Reapportionment
State Seats Existing New Change 53 52 1 36 38 2 27 28 1 27 26 1 18 17 1 18 17 1 16 15 1 14 14 13 14 11413 11212 1111 1010 99 99 99 99 88 88 88 78 188 77 77 66 66 56 155 55 44 44 44 44 44 44 33 33 22 32 122 22 22 22 12 111 11 11 11 11 11
Article One of the United States Constitution establishes the United States House of Representatives apportions representatives to the states based on population, with reapportionment occurring every ten years. The decennial United States census determines the population of each state. Each of the fifty states is guaranteed at least one representative, and the Huntington–Hill method is used to assign the remaining 385 seats to states based on the population of each state. Congress has provided for reapportionment every ten years since the enactment of the Reapportionment Act of 1929. Since 1913, the U.S. House of Representatives has consisted of 435 members, a number set by statute, though the number of representatives temporarily increased in 1959. Reapportionment also affects presidential elections, as each state is guaranteed electoral votes equivalent to the number of representatives and senators representing the state.
Prior to the 2022 U.S. House elections, each state apportioned more than one representative drew new congressional districts based on the reapportionment following the 2020 census. Based on the official counts of the 2020 census, California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia each lost one seat, while Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon each gained one seat, and Texas gained two seats. Though California lost a seat for the first time in its history, the 2020 census continued a broader trend of Northeastern and Midwestern states losing seats and Western and Southern states gaining seats. Eliminated districtsCreated districts California 53 Illinois 18 Michigan 14 Montana at-large New York 27 Ohio 16 Pennsylvania 18 West Virginia 3 Colorado 8 Florida 28 Montana 1 Montana 2 North Carolina 14 Oregon 6 Texas 37 Texas 38
Congressional redistricting methods
Each U.S. representative represents one congressional district, which encompasses all or part of a single state. Following the apportionment of seats based on the most recent census, every state with more than one congressional district must pass a new redistricting plan before the filing deadlines of the next general election. In most states, the state legislature draws the new districts, but some states have established redistricting commissions. Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, and Washington use independent commissions to draw House districts, while Hawaii and New Jersey use "politician commissions" to draw House districts. Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming will continue to have only one representative in the House, and so will not have to draw new House districts.
In all other states, the legislature draws district lines, although some states have advisory commissions that can play a major role in drawing lines, and other states have backup commissions if the state legislature is unable to draw the lines itself. State governors may also play a role in deciding district boundaries. In many states, districts are drawn with the intent to benefit certain political groups, including one of the two major political parties, in a practice known as gerrymandering. Most states draw new lines by passing a law the same way any other law is passed, but some states have special procedures. Connecticut and Maine require a two-thirds super-majority in each house of the state legislature for redistricting plans, while district lines are not subject to gubernatorial veto in Connecticut and North Carolina. The Ohio redistricting process is designed to encourage the legislature to pass a map with bipartisan support, but the majority party can pass maps that last for four years (as opposed to the normal ten years) without the support of the minority party. The legislatures of Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia can override gubernatorial vetoes with a simple majority vote, giving governors in those states little leverage in the drawing of new district maps.
Limits on congressional redistricting Though the states have wide latitude in the re-drawing of congressional districts, state power over redistricting is subject to limits set by the U.S. Constitution, rulings of the federal judiciary and statutes passed by Congress. In the case of Wesberry v. Sanders, the Supreme Court of the United States established that states must draw districts that are equal in population "as nearly as is practicable." Subsequent court cases have required states to redistrict every ten years, although states can redistrict more often than that depending on their own statutes and constitutional provisions. Since the passage of the Uniform Congressional District Act (), most states have been barred from using multi-member districts; all states use single-member districts. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 establishes protections against racial redistricting plans that would deny minority voters an equal opportunity to elect representatives of their choice. The Supreme Court case of Thornburg v. Gingles established a test to determine whether redistricting lines violate the Voting Rights Act. In some states, courts have required the creation of majority-minority districts.
In addition to standards required by federal law, many states have also adopted other criteria, including compactness, contiguity, and the preservation of political subdivisions (such as cities or counties) or communities of interest. Some states, including Arizona, Colorado, New York and Washington require the drawing of competitive districts.
Control of congressional redistricting
Congressional redistricting plans passed by legislature
The table shows the partisan control of states in which congressional redistricting is enacted through either a bill or a joint resolution passed by the legislature. States in which the governor can technically veto the bill, but that veto can be overridden by a simple majority of the state legislature, are marked as "simple maj. override".
+Partisan control of congressional redistricting State SeatsThe number of U.S. representatives the state will have after the 2022 redistricting. Partisan control Overall Governor Senate House Alabama 7 Republican Republican Republican Arkansas 4 Republican Republican Republican Republican Connecticut 5 No veto Democratic Democratic Florida 28 Republican Republican Republican Republican Georgia 14 Republican Republican Republican Republican Illinois 17 Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Indiana 9 Republican‡ Republican Republican Iowa 4 Republican† Republican Republican Republican Kansas 4 Republican Republican Republican Kentucky 6 Republican Republican Republican Louisiana 6 Republican Republican Republican Republican Maine 2 Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Maryland 8 Democratic Democratic Democratic Massachusetts 9 Democratic Democratic Democratic Minnesota 8 Democratic Democratic Republican Mississippi 4 Republican Republican Republican Republican Missouri 8 Republican Republican Republican Republican Nebraska 3 Republican Nonpartisan Nevada 4 Republican Democratic Democratic New Hampshire 2 Republican Republican Republican Republican New Mexico 3 Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic New York 26 Democratic* Democratic Democratic Democratic North Carolina 14 Republican No veto Republican Republican Ohio 15 Republican† Republican Republican Republican Oklahoma 5 Republican Republican Republican Republican Oregon 6 Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic Pennsylvania 17 Democratic Republican Democratic Rhode Island 2 Democratic† Democratic Democratic Democratic South Carolina 7 Republican Republican Republican Republican Tennessee 9 Republican Republican Republican Texas 38 Republican Republican Republican Republican Utah 4 Republican† Republican Republican Republican West Virginia 2 Republican Republican Republican Wisconsin 8 Democratic Republican Republican "*" indicates that a 2/3 super-majority vote is required in the legislature "↑" indicates that one party can override a gubernatorial veto because of a supermajority in the legislature "†" indicates that the state employs an advisory commission "‡" indicates that the state employs a back-up commission
Ohio requires certain qualified majorities, at each stage of its congressional redistricting process, for its congressional maps to endure (subject to judicial review) for the full decade.
Congressional redistricting plans passed by commissions +States with redistricting commissions State Seats Type Arizona 9 Independent commission California 52 Independent commission (Overriden by California Proposition 50) Colorado 8 Independent commission Idaho 2 Independent commission Hawaii 2 Politician commission Michigan 13 Independent commission Montana 2 Independent commission New Jersey 12 Politician commission Virginia 11 Hybrid commission Washington 10 Independent commission Five states with multiple members of the House of Representatives use independent commissions to draw congressional districts. In Arizona, Montana, and Washington, the four party leaders of the state house and state senate each select one member of the Independent Redistricting Commission, and these four members select a fifth member who is not affiliated with either party. In California, the Citizen's Redistricting Commission consisted of five Democrats, five Republicans, and four individuals who are not members of either party, this was until California Proposition 50 passed. In Idaho, the four party leaders of the state house and state senate and the chairmen of the two most popular state parties (based on the results of the most recent gubernatorial vote) each select a member of the Commission for Reapportionment.
Two states use politician commissions to draw congressional districts. In Hawaii, the president of the state senate and the speaker of the state house each select two members of the Reapportionment Commission, while the minority parties in both chambers each appoint two members of the commission. The eight members of the commission then select a ninth member, who also chairs the commission. In New Jersey, the four party leaders of the state house and state senate and the party leaders of the two largest parties each choose two members of the Apportionment Commission, and the twelve members of the commission select a thirteenth member to chair the commission.