Congressional District
A congressional district is a geographic area from which voters elect one member of the U.S. House of Representatives. After House seats are apportioned among states based on the decennial census, states with multiple seats establish districts, which must be as equal in population as practicable. Redistricting usually follows the census and apportionment, but districts can also be changed mid-decade under applicable rules.
A congressional district is a geographic area from which voters elect one member of the U.S. House of Representatives. After House seats are apportioned among states based on the decennial census, states with multiple seats establish districts, which must be as equal in population as practicable. Redistricting usually follows the census and apportionment, but districts can also be changed mid-decade under applicable rules.
Example: In 1967, Congress required that all members of the House be elected from single-member districts (2 U.S.C. §2c).
Common misconception: The Census Bureau does not establish congressional district boundaries. It collects state-submitted boundaries, which are specified in state laws or court orders.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, About Congressional Districts; Congressional Research Service, Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting: Key Issues