Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission

The Redistricting Process

Overview1. Why do we have a Redistricting Commission?2. What is redistricting?3. What is the difference between

reapportionment and redistricting?4. Why do we have to redistrict?5. What guidelines need to be followed when

drawing new districts?6. What are the steps in the redistricting

process?7. How can public input be submitted to the

AIRC?

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1. Why do we have a Redistricting Commission?• This is the 2nd time Arizona's districts will be redrawn by the

Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. • In 2000 when Arizona voters approved Proposition 106 they created

the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and established a process and criteria for drawing new district lines.

• The commission is made up of two Democrats, two Republicans and an independent Chair elected by the other commissioners. The fifth member shall not be registered with any party already represented on the Commission.

• The 2011 AIRC members are:

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Scott Freeman, Vice Chair

Jose Herrera,

Vice Chair

Colleen Mathis,

Chair

Linda McNulty

Richard Stertz

Republican Democrat Independent Democrat Republican

Maricopa County Maricopa County Pima County Pima County Pima County

2. What is Redistricting?• Redistricting is the process of redrawing congressional and

legislative district lines.

3. What is the difference between redistricting and reapportionment?

• The two terms are often used interchangeably. Technically, there is a difference.

• Reapportionment is the process of allocating congressional districts among the states based on changes in population. – Because of population growth over the last decade, Arizona was

allocated an additional congressional district after the 2010 census, going from eight to nine districts.

• Redistricting is the process of drawing the actual boundaries of the districts.

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4. Why do we have to redistrict?

• Because AZ gained a congressional district, new lines will have to be drawn to add the new district. Even if AZ had not gained a district, the congressional and legislative districts lines would have to be redrawn to account for changes in population. The concept of one-person, one-vote dictates that there should be as close to the same number of people per district as possible.

• Because the rate of population growth is different in different areas, the existing districts now have different populations.

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5. What guidelines need to be followed when drawing new districts?

• A: Must comply with the U.S Constitution and the Voting Rights Act

• B: Equal Population– Criteria A and B are federally mandated. All plans

must satisfy these two criteria.• C: Compact and Contiguous• D: Respect communities of interest• E: Use visible geographic features, city town and

county boundaries, and undivided Census Tracts• F: Create competitive districts where no significant

detriment to other goals

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6. The AZ Redistricting Process• Public hearings to collect input• Start with a Grid Map• In some states, the previous plans are used as the

starting point for the new plans. That is not the case in AZ. In AZ, the starting point is the Grid Map per Prop. 106

The commencement of the mapping process for both the Congressional and Legislative districts shall be the creation of equal population in a grid-like pattern across the state.

• The initial grid map will likely only meet criteria B and C– B: Equal Population – C: Compact and Contiguous

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The AZ Redistricting Process (continued)Adjusting the grid map to meet the six criteria

• A: Voting Rights Act– Arizona’s congressional and legislative districts must receive

preclearance or approval from the Department of Justice or a federal court under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act before they can take effect. To get preclearance, Arizona must demonstrate that the new districts do not discriminate against minority voters in purpose or effect, which means there can be no intentional or accidental discrimination.

– Under Section 5, Arizona's redistricting plans cannot be retrogressive. The plans cannot weaken or reduce minority voters' rights.

– The presence of discrimination can be determined by analyzing population data and election results.

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The AZ Redistricting Process (continued)Adjusting the grid map • B: Equal population• C: Compact and contiguous• D: Respects communities of interest

– One of the goals of the AIRC public hearings is to solicit public input about communities of interest. There are forms available at the public hearings, or on the AIRC website that can be used to define an area that you feel should be considered a community of interest.

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The AZ Redistricting Process (continued)

• E: Use visible geographic features– County boundaries, cities and towns, and

Census Tracts– Usually Census geography follows visible

features• F: Create competitive districts where no

significant detriment to other goals

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• Fill out a request to speak form at a public hearing and provide the commission you input. Example of input includes thoughts on:• Criteria• Communities of interest• Anything else about redistricting

• You can speak at the hearing, or submit your input using one of the public input forms at the hearing or on the AIRC website.

• Visit us at www.azredistricting.org or call 602-542-5221

7. The AIRC Wants Your Input