TUCSON, Ariz. -- With the 2020 Census, Arizona is expected to gain another congressional district. Former State Elections Analyst Garrett Archer, says the possible 10th location could impact the state.
"So in Arizona, the process of redistricting is done every 10 years by a redistricting commission. The map makers will take into consideration things like neighborhood diversity, political boundaries such as city lines, school district lines and they'll group it in with surrounding blocks until a population threshold has been reached," says Archer
Arizona is growing rapidly. Since 2010, the state has added almost one million residents, much of that from neighboring California. Just this past year alone, Arizona netted 200,000 new residents.
Archer says this growth may be one of the primary reasons Arizona is becoming a "purple" state as about 60% of those who moved from out-of-state came from those that former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary Clinton won in 2016. "High growth regions in Maricopa County can be found in all parts of the area. But those living in the western part of the county have seen an additional 100,000 people just in the last 10 years," says Archer.
In all likelihood, if Arizona is to get a new congressional district it's going to occur somewhere in the West Valley.
"The interesting thing about this area of Maricopa, is if you move a new district in any direction the balance of this district will change drastically."
