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Six Constitutional Requirements
The Independent Redistricting Commission must follow six requirements in their process of drawing new legislative and congressional districts.
1. Comply with the US Constitution and US Voting Rights Act
2. Congressional & Legislative Districts divided into equal populations
3. Districts should be geographically compact & connected
4. District boundaries must respect communities of interest
5. Use geographic features such as city and town boundaries and undivided census tracks
6. Competitive Districts as long as the other five requirements are prioritized
PUBLIC COMMENT GUIDES THE MAPS
Your Voice is Needed!
WHY IT MATTERS
According to Arizona's Constitution, public comment from communities of interest guides the adjustment of the map drafts. Your voice matters and your public comment can impact the shape of your districts for the next decade.
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Current CD6 (Future CD1): Uptown Phoenix is an urban areas and should be drawn into the same district as central Phoenix. Voters in Uptown Phoenix will be deprived of representation by being drawn into a suburban district.
HOW TO FIX IT
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is accepting public comment at upcoming meetings in-person or virtual or online.
You can sign up to speak at a meeting or submit your public comment online. Use the talking points above for your comment.
REDISTRICTING
Redistricting is the Most Important Process for Public Participation for the Next Decade! Volunteer to Help Save Arizona!
YOUR VOICE MATTERS
The Arizona Redistricting process determines where the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) will draw new district map lines to identify the new legislative and congressional districts. The census data from 2020 and 2021 is the foundation to consider the new lines. The commission determines new lines also from your input as a voter, which qualifies you as a "community of interest."
New lines directly impact who can win the outcomes of elections based on the partisan identity of registered voters and district boundaries. For example, after the IRC drew new lines in 2011, Arizona went from a 37/23 Republican/Democrat Legislature to only a one-seat Republican majority in 2020. The disparities in district boundaries in 2011 were caused because the previous commission focused almost entirely on competitiveness and disregarded the other five constitutional requirements. In many districts, this made voters feel like their voice didn't matter leading to frustration and voter suppression.
ARIZONA REDISTRICTING ALERT
Step 1: The Grid Maps
The Grid Maps are the first step in the process to divide Arizona in equal districts based on population. From there, public comment reshapes the districts based on communities of interest. The districts must be compact and connected. Go to the IRC website to view the interactive maps. CLICK THE MAPS!
Step 2: The Draft Maps
Redistricting is now in the Draft Map phase. Draft maps take into consideration and will keep being redrawn until the IRC agrees to Congressional and Legislative maps. CLICK HERE FOR THE DRAFT MAPS!
