Vidya Sethuraman
India Post News Service
Redistricting normally occurs once a decade, following the US Census. Congressional district maps are redrawn to reflect changing demographics. This year, battle lines were drawn as Texas announced its intent to redraw its maps. Five other Republican states are considering similar actions. California shot back, stating its intent to roll out “trigger maps” with greater representation for Democrats, if any Republican state is successful in carving out new Congressional districts. Speakers at the Aug 22 conference discussed the redistricting process, the impact of the new maps, and whether votes from minority populations may be diluted as a result.
Rep. Gene Wu, Democratic leader in the Texas House of Representatives pointed out that, according to regulations, redistricting should only be conducted after the census. Texas completed its latest redistricting in 2021, but now it’s changing the map again. He bluntly called it “changing the rules mid-game.” He emphasized that Texas’ African-American community has long amassed political power, but the new map merges two African-American districts, leaving only one African-American congressman. Hispanic communities, on the other hand, have been fragmented, with votes being allocated to majority-white districts, significantly reducing their influence. He further argued that minorities already have distinct needs, such as Mexicans and Venezuelans within the Hispanic community, or different immigrant groups. If they are fragmented into districts with disparate backgrounds, they will struggle to gain political support, “ultimately silencing the voices of these communities.”
Sara Rohani, Assistant Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund noted that smaller, more dispersed communities like Asian Americans and Native Americans may not be adequately represented at the congressional level. “State legislatures and local districts are where the real voices are,” he said. He urged the community to focus more on reforms at the local and state levels, “because while congressional districts get a lot of attention, it’s often how state legislatures are drawn that truly impacts community representation.”
Thomas Saenz, President and General Counsel, MALDEF noted that while the Asian population is not large enough to form a single-majority district in Texas, it is a significant component of “unified districts” in places like Austin. He added that if lawmakers were to inappropriately consider the race of Asian voters during redistricting, it would be unconstitutional.
Sam Wang, President of the Electoral Innovation Lab at Princeton University noted that Texas’s new map will give Republicans an additional five to seven seats, exceeding the “neutral gerrymander” benchmark and making it the most extreme case since 1972. He described Texas’ lack of legal regulations as “the Wild West of redistricting.” He explained that approximately 80% of US congressional districts are uncompetitive even under neutral gerrymandering, and that the truly influential elections are often primaries, not runoffs. While gerrymandering has decreased over the past decade thanks to independent commissions and court intervention, the Texas case still highlights the severity of the problem.
Wang specifically noted that smaller, more dispersed ethnic groups, such as Asian Americans and Native Americans, may not be adequately represented at the congressional level. “State legislatures and local districts are where they truly have a voice.” He urged the community to focus more on reforms at the local and state levels, “because while congressional districts get the spotlight, it’s often how state legislative lines are drawn that truly impacts community representation.”
Also Read: Asian American heritage month of May celebrated
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