Redistricting could lead to drastic map changes, state demographer says – By Cameron Gerber (Missouri Times) / Sept 14 2021
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Population shifts across Missouri could lead to a complicated redistricting process, the state demographer said Tuesday.
The state’s population grew to exceed 6 million, per the 2020 data, with more people living in larger communities while smaller communities shrink. The state’s congressional maps are expected to change wildly; CD 1 and 8 would need around 50,000 more people each to balance the state, while surrounding districts do not have the population to lend, according to State Demographer Matt Hesser.
Hesser presented the data before the House Special Committee on Redistricting Tuesday afternoon.
“The lines will have to shift significantly for you to be able to rebalance the population amongst these congressional districts,” Hesser said. “This is where redistricting gets hard, especially where populations are moving so much.”
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