Reapportionment (Re-districting) happens every 10 years, throughout the country, after the decennial census.
This process will occur in 2012.
The 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives will be redistributed among the 50 states. Each state is always guaranteed at least one seat by the U.S. Constitution.
Based on the new population figures, Florida is entitled to 27 representatives in the U.S. House, an increase of 2, effective with the general election in 2012.
Redistricting is the redrawing of district boundaries of congressional and state legislative electoral districts to adjust for various growth rates in different parts of the state. Districts determine which voters participate in which elections for choosing representatives in the U.S. House, State Senate and House.
All citizens have the opportunity to share their ideas and opinions with the Florida Senate Reapportionment Committee.
Republican Senate President Mike Haridopolos has requested the Committee run the most open, transparent and interactive redistricting process in our state's history.
New redistricting standards in the Florida Constitution require the Legislature to draw lines based on factors unrelated to party and incumbency. Public hearings to gather such information are now more important than ever before.
Considering this, over the next couple of months, the Senate and House will host more than two dozen joint public hearings around the state. Senators and Representatives want to hear from you before redrawing your districts to comply with federal and state law.
You are invited to attend the public hearings and actively engage in this fundamental exercise of democracy.
The Republican Party of Manatee will continue to keep you informed on this issue and follow with another email that includes the state Public Hearing schedule. Constituents also have the opportunity to literally draw and submit suggested districts to the committee.
Participants can do this via "District Builder."
District Builder is a full-featured web application. It includes the 2010 Census data. Utilizing this information, users can draw Florida Senate & House and Congressional districts based on this data and submit their recommendations to the Legislature. Submitting your plan is one of the best ways to show what works for your community. Citizens have full and easy access to the same web application and information that legislators and professional staff themselves use.
