1、CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i Congressional Redistricting 2021: Legal Framework September 10, 2021 In August 2021, the Census Bureau released the 2020 redistricting data, and based on that data, states have begun the process of congre
2、ssional redistricting. Redistricting is the drawing of district boundaries within each state from which voters elect their representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition to complying with applicable state laws, congressional redistricting must comport with the U.S. Constitution an
3、d federal law, as interpreted by the Supreme Court. Since the 1960s, the Court has issued a series of rulings that have significantly shaped how congressional districts are drawn. Integrating Court precedent, this Legal Sidebar provides an overview of the legal framework that informs congressional r
4、edistricting, focusing on the population equality standard; requirements under the Voting Rights Act (VRA); standards of equal protection; and claims of unconstitutional partisan gerrymandering. The Sidebar concludes by discussing various considerations for Congress. Population Equality Standard: On