2020 United States redistricting cycle

2020 United States redistricting cycle
United States Census 2020, modified by Fredddie · Public domain · source
Title	2020 United States redistricting cycle
Date	2021–2023
Participants	United States Census Bureau, state legislatures, Independent redistricting commissions, federal courts
Outcome	New congressional and state legislative district boundaries adopted for the 2022 United States elections

2020 United States redistricting cycle. The process of redrawing electoral district boundaries following the 2020 United States Census began in earnest in 2021 and continued through 2023. This decennial undertaking, mandated by the United States Constitution, determined the maps for the United States House of Representatives and thousands of state legislative seats. The cycle was marked by significant legal battles, the implementation of new independent commissions, and intense partisan competition for control of the United States Congress.

Background and legal framework

The constitutional basis for reapportionment and redistricting stems from Article One of the United States Constitution and the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Voting Rights Act of 1965, particularly its Section 2, prohibits racial discrimination in drawing districts, a principle upheld in cases like Shaw v. Reno and Thornburg v. Gingles. The United States Supreme Court rulings in Rucho v. Common Cause and Davis v. Bandemer deemed partisan gerrymandering a non-justiciable political question at the federal level, leaving state courts and constitutions as primary battlegrounds. Key precedents also include Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, which affirmed the use of citizen commissions.

State-by-state redistricting processes

Redistricting authority varied significantly across the states. Republican-controlled legislatures in Texas, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina drove the map-drawing process. Conversely, Democratic-led bodies in Illinois, New York, and Oregon crafted their own plans. Several states utilized Independent redistricting commissions, including Arizona, California, Colorado, and Michigan, established by ballot initiatives like Michigan Proposal 18-2. Unique processes were seen in Ohio, where the Ohio Redistricting Commission operated, and Pennsylvania, where a Legislative Reapportionment Commission handled state legislative lines.

Litigation and court challenges

Extensive litigation defined the cycle, with cases filed in both federal and state courts. The Alabama case Allen v. Milligan reached the United States Supreme Court, which affirmed a lower court's ruling under the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court repeatedly struck down maps for violating anti-gerrymandering amendments to the Ohio Constitution. Similarly, the North Carolina Supreme Court initially invalidated maps in Harper v. Hall before a change in the court's composition led to a reversal. Federal courts in Georgia and Louisiana also issued rulings on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act claims, while litigation in Florida centered on the Fair Districts Amendments.

Political impact and partisan control

Analyses by the Cook Political Report and Princeton University's Gerrymandering Project indicated the net effect of new maps conferred a structural advantage to the Republican Party for the 2022 United States elections. Gains from aggressive gerrymanders in states like Texas and Florida were partially offset by Democratic gains in states like Illinois and court-ordered maps in North Carolina initially. The cycle played a crucial role in the battle for control of the United States House of Representatives, influencing the narrow Republican majority. Organizations like the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, chaired by Eric Holder, and the National Republican Redistricting Trust, led by Adam Kincaid, were central to partisan strategy.

Notable maps and district changes

Notable congressional maps included Texas's 38th congressional district, a new Hispanic-majority district in Houston that was the subject of Voting Rights Act of 1965 litigation. New York's map, drawn by the Democratic-led New York State Legislature, created several competitive districts before being overturned by the New York Court of Appeals. Alabama was ordered to create a second majority-Black district, impacting the 2nd district. Ohio's congressional map, ultimately used for 2022 under a federal court order, heavily favored Republicans. Florida's map dismantled the 5th district held by Al Lawson, a Black-performing district.

Timeline and key deadlines

The process commenced with the United States Census Bureau's delayed release of Census data in August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most states completed their primary map-drawing in late 2021 and early 2022 ahead of candidate filing deadlines for the 2022 United States elections. Litigation extended deadlines in several states, including Ohio and North Carolina, where maps were finalized deep into 2022. The United States Supreme Court's major ruling in Allen v. Milligan came in June 2023, forcing Alabama and other states to revisit maps for the 2024 United States elections. The cycle effectively concluded with the implementation of remedial maps for the 2024 election cycle.

Category:2020 United States redistricting cycle Category:Redistricting in the United States Category:2020s in American politics