Redistricting Changed All Voting Districts
What Is Redistricting?
Redistricting is the redrawing of a state’s legislative and congressional districts. The U.S. Constitution requires that all states redraw their electoral maps every 10 years following the U.S. Census so that districts are of nearly equal population. States gain and lose population, which affects the number of congressional representatives each state has. Also, population shifts within states change the size of both the congressional and state legislative districts. Each state chooses its own method of redistricting. In Arizona new maps are drawn by an Independent Redistricting Commission.
What Is the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC)?
The IRC is a five-member commission that is responsible for redrawing congressional and legislative district boundaries in Arizona every ten years, following the U.S. Census. The IRC was created in 2000 when voters approved Proposition 106. Prop 106 removed responsibility for redistricting from the State Legislature in order to end gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing boundaries that benefit politicians in office instead of the people of Arizona. The provisions of Proposition 106 became part of the Arizona Constitution.
The State Legislature attempted to retain control of the power to draw its own maps by challenging the IRC’s authority in the courts. This was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015. The court’s decision left intact the Independent Redistricting Commission’s full authority.
Local Districts Are Affected Too
City and county maps for city wards, supervisory districts, justice of the peace precincts, voting precincts, and other legally defined districts will also be redrawn this year.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors is responsible for county-level maps. City of Tucson redistricting is handled by the City Council. Redistricting of other Pima County cities is handled by their respective city councils.
Finding Your New Districts
Every voter has been sent a new Voter Identification Card. It shows your new district numbers. If you did not get one, contact the Pima County Recorder’s Office at 520-724-4330.
You can look up what districts you are in using this Precinct/District Search tool. You will be asked for you address. The tool is very picky about how an address is entered. For example it will only take N, not North or Ave, not Avenue.
