Redistricting
The beginning of a new decade brings about redistricting, or the redrawing of district lines at each level of government. Redistricting shapes the political representation of all communities.
While Asian Americans have been among the fastest-growing racial groups in the country, the Asian American community’s political voice has not grown at a similar rate. Generally, Asian American communities have not been well-served by past redistricting efforts: They often have been split across districts where elected officials may not feel an obligation to address the needs of minorities in the electorate.
For Asian Americans, the redistricting cycle following the 2020 Census presents a crucial opportunity to build Asian American electoral strength across the country. Developing and/or preserving communities of interest among Asian Americans, as districts are drawn or re-drawn, helps assure that the community has a significant voice in deciding who is elected to office—and whether its needs are being raised, represented, and addressed. Our community members must be engaged and mobilized to participate in the redistricting process.
Check out the resources below to learn more about the importance of participating in redistricting efforts and how to get involved in the redistricting process.
OUR RESOURCES
Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation factsheet on redistricting
Download: All About Redistricting: Empowering Our Communities (English)
Asian Language Translated Factsheets
Bangla (coming soon)
EPIC's Pacific Islander Language Translated Factsheets
Download: Redistricting: Key Terms (English)
Translated Factsheets
Download: Redistricting Factsheet - All About the Data (English)
Download: Communities of Interest Testimony - A worksheet for community members (English)
Translated Factsheets
ADDITIONAL ADVANCING JUSTICE | AAJC RESOURCES
Power on the Line(s): Making Redistricting Work for Us
A comprehensive guide to redistricting from Advancing Justice | AAJC, NAACP — LDF, and MALDEF.
This slide deck breaks down the census, apportionment, and redistricting.
PARTNER RESOURCES
Redistricting Key Terms
FACTSHEETS from MALDEF, Common Cause & State Voices
These factsheets provide a general guide to redistricting. They were created by Common Cause, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and State Voices in collaboration with Arizona Coalition for Change, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Los Angeles, Black Voters Matter Fund, Brennan Center for Justice, Campaign Legal Center, Center for Community Change, FIRM (Fair Immigration Reform Movement), Center for Popular Democracy, Demos, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People-Legal Defense Fund, NALEO Educational Fund, Pennsylvania Voice, and Southern Coalition for Social Justice.
These factsheets have been translated into five additional languages: Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Step-by-Step Guide on Geocoding and Reallocation
A resource from Common Cause and the Prison Policy Initiative that details how to reallocate people in prison and adjust state redistricting data to create equitable solutions to prison gerrymandering. For more information, read this blog on ending prison gerrymandering.
Tips for Making Effective Comments at a Redistricting Hearing
Six tips from the Brennan Center for Justice to keep in mind as public officials and private citizens get ready to give their thoughts to the redistricting authorities in their states.
REPORTS
Runaway Redistricting: How the Rush to Redistricting Can Leave Communities Behind – published April 7, 2021 by Common Cause
In this report, Common Cause details the likely impact of the adjusted redistricting data release timeline, plus recommendations for ensuring a transparent and inclusive redistricting process.
DATA TOOLS
Redistricting Data Hub provide individuals, civic organizations, and good government groups the data, tools, and knowledge to participate effectively in redistricting processes by learning how to define their communities, provide meaningful public input, recognize gerrymandering, and advocate for fair and legal maps.