{"id":45829,"date":"2025-08-18T09:48:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T13:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/?post_type=work&p=45829"},"modified":"2026-02-19T15:09:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T20:09:31","slug":"mid%e2%80%91decade-redistricting-democracy-on-the-line","status":"publish","type":"work","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/es\/work\/mid%e2%80%91decade-redistricting-democracy-on-the-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Mid\u2011Decade Redistricting: Democracy on the Line"},"template":"","class_list":["post-45829","work","type-work","status-publish","hentry","work_type-campaign"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"Common Cause has released fairness criteria for mid-decade redistricting, so we can respond to the most urgent threats to fair representation and put people, not parties, first.","featured_image":44203,"work_type":159,"related_issues":[2066],"location":46},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":"","name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

What is redistricting \u2014 and what\u2019s happening?<\/h2>\r\nRedistribuci\u00f3n de distritos<\/strong>\r\nEvery ten years, after the Census, states redraw legislative and congressional districts so that each district has roughly the same number of people. When it\u2019s done right, communities have a real say, the process is transparent, and the result is fair representation\u2014not a political advantage for those in power.\r\n\r\nGerrymandering<\/strong>\r\nThat\u2019s when politicians manipulate the lines to keep themselves in office or shut voters out\u2014splitting neighborhoods, diluting the voices of Black, Latino, and other communities, and letting lawmakers choose their voters instead of voters choosing their lawmakers.\r\n\r\nMid\u2011decade redistricting<\/strong>\r\nInstead of waiting for new Census data, politicians redraw maps between Censuses to gain short\u2011term power. Off\u2011cycle redraws sideline public input, disrupt elections, and invite endless map\u2011rigging driven by politics\u2014not people."}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_image_and_text","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_image_and_text":{"manually_curate":true,"image_side":"left","row_color":"blue","work":null,"kicker_text":"","title":"Trump and Abbott Push Mid-Decade Power Grab","summary":"Trump\u2019s shameless attempt at a mid-decade power grab to take over Texas continues, but we won\u2019t stop fighting back.\r\n\r\nDespite thousands of Texans voicing their opposition, Governor Greg Abbott and his allies are pushing to rush a new congressional map to a vote. They are prioritizing Trump\u2019s agenda over the needs of Texans. Instead of focusing on crucial flood relief, the only item on the agenda for tomorrow\u2019s hearing is their racist gerrymandering.\r\n\r\nWhat This Is Really About<\/b>\r\nTrump, Abbott, and their allies have passed laws that hurt working Texans slashing healthcare, defunding schools, and making it harder to vote.\r\n\r\nThey know we\u2019re angry. They\u2019re scared because, together, the people hold power.","image":44230,"post_link":"","button_text":"","secondary_link":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

Why now?<\/h2>\r\n

This mid\u2011cycle rush didn\u2019t come out of nowhere.<\/strong>\u00a0It accelerated when Trump\u2019s team pressed Texas leaders to find more seats before 2026\u2014and Governor Greg Abbott responded by calling a\u00a030\u2011day special session<\/strong>\u00a0to redraw congressional maps\u00a0ahora mismo<\/em>, mid\u2011decade.<\/p>\r\nFair redistricting normally takes months. Communities organize, attend hearings, and speak up. This time, Abbott and his allies are planning to push new maps\u00a0behind closed doors<\/strong>\u2014fast, with minimal public input.\r\n\r\nAnd make no mistake: Abbott isn\u2019t trying to produce fairer representation for Texans\u2014he\u2019s trying to\u00a0skew the maps<\/strong>\u00a0in favor of Trump and his allies.\r\n

Redistricting should reflect communities\u2014not politicians<\/h3>\r\nTrump recently signed an unpopular agenda that puts over\u00a01.6 million Texans<\/strong>\u00a0at risk of losing healthcare coverage and threatens food aid for\u00a0more than 3 million Texans<\/strong>. His team fears voters will hold their allies accountable, including the\u00a025 Texas Republican representatives<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nUnder pressure, Abbott is forcing the state through another contentious redistricting process\u00a0years ahead of schedule<\/strong>. Expect radical maps that carve up districts with large Black and brown communities\u2014splitting voters apart<\/strong>\u00a0to dilute their power and deny fair representation.\r\n\r\nThis is a blatant power grab designed to suppress marginalized voters and rewrite the rules to benefit those already in power.\r\n

Protect the integrity of redistricting<\/h3>\r\nIf Texas succeeds, it could trigger a\u00a0nationwide race to the bottom<\/strong>\u00a0where, no matter who holds power, voters lose. We\u2019re prepared to fight like hell to stop mid\u2011decade map\u2011rigging in Texas\u2014and anywhere else politicians try to steal our right to fair representation.\r\n\r\nWe sued after Texas politicians tried similar tactics in the last cycle, and our allies are still in court on related maps. Now, before judges even rule, Trump, Abbott, and their allies want to start over\u2014because they\u2019re afraid of losing fair elections.\r\n\r\nSo we\u2019re sending letters to lawmakers, mobilizing volunteers, and planning visits to the state capitol. We\u2019ve got the truth and the law on our side\u2014and when we organize, we\u2019ll have the people on our side too.\r\n

Nuestra posici\u00f3n<\/h2>\r\nWe oppose gerrymandering on principle\u2014no matter who does it.<\/strong>\u00a0Independent citizen redistricting commissions are the best way to achieve fair representation. As mid\u2011decade pushes escalate, we are focusing resources where voters face the most urgent threats. We evaluate every map\u2014red, blue, or purple\u2014against clear fairness criteria:\u00a0equal population, Voting Rights Act compliance, protection of communities of interest, geographic compactness, respect for political subdivisions, and transparency with robust public input<\/em>.\r\n\r\nRead our full policy:\u00a0Policy Statement on Mid\u2011Decade Redistricting Response<\/a>"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

From our President & CEO, Virginia Kase Solom\u00f3n<\/h3>\r\nI\u2019ll cut to the chase \u2013 Common Cause will not pre\u2011emptively oppose mid\u2011decade redistricting in California.\r\n\r\nPresident Trump and Republican leaders in states like Texas are doing all they can to prevent the people from having a say in our future \u2013 enabling them to concentrate power as they cut our healthcare, kidnap our neighbors, and occupy our cities.\r\n\r\nSimply put, we must focus our limited resources on that larger threat. We won\u2019t call for unilateral political disarmament in the face of authoritarianism \u2013 or let our country\u2019s balance of power be decided not by the voters, but by the will of one political party.\r\n\r\nThat doesn\u2019t require changing our core principles. Independent redistricting commissions are one way \u2013 and by far the best way \u2013 to draw fair maps and achieve fair representation for every single American.\r\n\r\nWe oppose gerrymandering on principle \u2013 no matter who is doing it. We\u2019ll evaluate any new maps proposed \u2013 in red, blue, and purple states \u2013 by our fairness criteria so we can respond to the most urgent threats to fair representation and put people, not parties, first.\r\n\r\nTwo wrongs don\u2019t make a right \u2013 and the Texas GOP\u2019s decision to set off a nationwide race to the bottom on redistricting is going to leave voters in every state that tries it worse off \u2013 blue, red, or purple.\r\n\r\n\u2014 Virginia Kase Solom\u00f3n, President & CEO"}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"

What\u2019s at stake<\/h2>\r\n