Things are going to be interesting once the 2020 census is completed. Based on newly-released figures from the Census Bureau, quite a few heavily populated, Democratic-leaning states are going to lose Congressional seats. And states that traditionally vote Republican are set to gain seats.
According to the Wall Street Journal, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia are all expected to lose one Congressional District. Texas is expected to gain two seats while Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina and Oregon are expected to each gain one Congressional seat.
The population rate grew 0.5 percent over the last year, which is the slowest in a century, the Brookings Institution concluded.
For the first time since California joined the union the state is projected to lose Congressional seats, The Hill reported.
The power shift from the midwest and northeast is huge for the southwest, where housing is cheaper, the weather is warmer, the job market is stronger, and, in some cases, the taxes are lower.
Districts will be doled out by December 2020 but details will be worked out in 2021. It's hard to say which political party will benefit from the reallocation because the political party that's in the majority redraws those districts. Who controls the state legislatures will be determined during the 2020 election.
The actual reapportionment calculation will take place by December 2020, with its details worked out in 2021. Each state will redraw its legislative maps, and those that have more than one congressional seat will redraw districts as well.