SAN ANTONIO – Redistricting, the process that redraws political district boundaries, is playing a pivotal role in determining whose voice counts in future elections.
The redistricting unfolding in Texas and spreading across the nation could change political representation in ways the country has rarely seen.
Walter Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, described the current redistricting efforts as a “partisan arms race” where defeating the opposing party has become the primary goal of party leadership.
“This sort of gamesmanship is really, I think, unfortunate because it’s going to make it impossible for government ultimately to function in a way where leaders collaborate and compromise and solve problems,” Wilson said.
The recent push began when President Donald Trump requested Texas gain five additional congressional seats.
State lawmakers responded by redrawing maps to favor the president’s party.
While redistricting has been contentious in Texas before, Scott Braddock, a Texas Capitol insider, said this cycle is different.
“Even though Democrats are losing in Texas, they’ve forced some legislative action in other states,” Braddock said. “Those states that are trying to counter what Texas is doing — that’s never happened before.”
California and several other states are already working to add more Democratic seats in response, signaling a broader national battle over political maps.
Experts warn these changes can prevent shifts in public opinion from being reflected in government representation, which could effectively short-circuit the democratic process.
Organizations like LULAC and the NAACP, who believe those most affected by the changes are minority voters, are planning lawsuits against the state, alleging racial discrimination in the new maps.
However, if courts find discrimination, previous cases suggest flawed maps are rarely discarded.
“If the courts find that racial discrimination is baked into these maps, then they might have to be changed,” Braddock said. “But when we’ve seen some successes on that front previously, the entire map would not be thrown out.”
Both Braddock and Wilson agree that this form of partisan redistricting is likely to continue unless voters demand change.
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