"That time" is growing closer. As the last of the Census 2010 workers go door-to-door, the attention shifts to what the data may bring. Will Houston surpass Chicago as the third largest city in the United States? Has Houston and Harris County — as well as surrounding counties such as Fort Bend and Montgomery — changed substantially? Will the Gulf Coast region gain  congressional members? What about local political representation? With the population growth in Houston and its federally mandated requirement to add district council members (with a population at 2 million or more), what will the new city council districts look like? What will the precincts in Harris County and surrounding counties look like?

 

 

 

The Texas Constitution — enacted in 1876 and still alive and well through numerous amendments — requires that state and congressional districts be redrawn during the legislative session after the decennial census is completed. This means that Texas will tackle redistricting once again during the 82nd legislative session in 2011. The Texas House and Senate will approve new district maps for state and congressional seats. If they are unable to agree on a plan, the decision will go to the Legislative Redistricting Board. Throughout this process, our state decision-makers are assisted by the Legislative Council's researchers. The Legislative Council provides objective data analysis and mapping abilities to aid in the redistricting process.

The level of analytical and mapping expertise offered by the Texas Legislative Council has not been readily available to local governments — until now. The Hobby Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston and the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas at Rice University are working together to provide analytical, historical and technological expertise to local governments in the greater Houston metropolitan area, whether it is for city council, a county, an independent school district or a community college board.

Book mark this page and check back often. As information becomes available, we will add data, analysis and commentary. We will also offer links to general redistricting information coming from Austin and elsewhere. Stay tuned! 

 

What's the Difference Between Reapportionment & Redistricting?

 

Reapportionment and redistricting are often incorrectly perceived as the same process. Here are the definitions of each according to the American Political Dictionary (1985):

Reapportionment is the reallocation of legislative seats. Under the Apportionment Act of 1929, Congress fixed the number of House seats at 435 and provided that the seats be redistributed among the states after the decennial census.

Redistricting is the action of a state legislature or other body in redrawing electoral district lines.

Simply put, reapportionment determines how many congressional seats a state receives after the decennial census while redistricting is the process of drawing lines for electoral districts at all levels of government.

 

 

League of Women Voters Panel Discussion - Redistricting: Are You Being Represented?

 

Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 5:30 p.m., Judson Robinson Jr. Community Center at 2020 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004. Featuring Dr. Richard W. Murray and Distinguished Panel. Light refreshments available. RSVP before noon February 9, 2011 at LWV-HA 713.784.2923 or email lwv@lwvhouston.org.

 

Renee Cross Discusses the Redistricting Process on KPRC's Beyond the Headlines

If you live in Houston, Proposition 2 would change who can run for Houston City Council seats. But redistricting is not just an issue for the city of Houston, it will also affect the state legislature and the United States Congress. Renée Cross, the associate director of the Hobby Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston joined host Kim Davis to talk about the redistricting process -- what's at stake and what it means for future elections. Texas is likely to add four seats to the U.S. House -- the only state expected to gain more than one new slot. View the segment from Beyond the Headlines which aired on KPRC Channel 2 on October 24, 2010.