Between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1, the Florida House and Senate Committees on Reapportionment released new draft maps and the Arkansas Board of Apportionment approved the state’s final legislative maps. Meanwhile, one state—Illinois—enacted a new congressional district map.
Proposed
Florida: On Nov. 24, the Senate Committee on Reapportionment released eight new draft maps: four for the state’s 28 congressional districts and four for the 40 Senate districts. On Nov. 26, the Senate committee released an additional Senate map. The Senate committee had previously released eight draft maps on Nov. 10. The House Committee on Reapportionment released its first draft maps of the cycle on Nov. 29: two for the state’s congressional districts and two for the 120 House districts.
These maps are all preliminary efforts in Florida’s redistricting process. The state constitution requires legislators to complete the process during the regular legislative session in the second year following the census. Florida’s session is currently scheduled to last from Jan. 11 to March 12, 2022.
Advanced
Arkansas: On Nov. 29, the Arkansas Board of Apportionment voted 3-0 to accept final maps of the state’s House and Senate districts. The board, which is made up of Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (R), and Secretary of State John Thurston (R), previously accepted maps on Oct. 29, beginning a 30-day public comment period. Barring any legal challenges, these maps will go into effect on Dec. 30, 2021.
The Associated Press’ Andrew DeMillo wrote that the maps kept the number of majority-Black Senate districts the same, reduced the number of majority-Black House districts by one, and created the state’s first majority-Hispanic legislative district.
The Arkansas Democratic Party Chairman Grant Tennille said, “This process was a missed opportunity … to have fairly drawn maps that respect voters and their communities … Instead, we have yet another example of gerrymandering and voter suppression.”
The state’s Republican Party Chairwoman Jonelle Fulmer said, “The board’s efforts to keep communities of interest together and create the first-ever majority Latino voting age district are proof of their commitment to fair and equal representation.”
Enacted
One state—Illinois—enacted a new congressional district map on Nov. 24. No states enacted new legislative maps between Nov. 24 and Dec. 1.
As of Dec. 1, 18 states had completed congressional redistricting and 22 states had approved new state legislative lines.
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