ARIZONA, USA — Voters in Arizona, you might be electing a new set of representatives in the 2022 election cycle. That's because after the 2020 Census, our officials have remapped a whole new set of state and congressional districts.
We've got a look at the changes coming to Arizona's districts, and what that might mean for the upcoming 2022 elections.
Congressional district map
On Jan. 24, 2022, Arizona enacted the finalized congressional map plan provided by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.
According to Ballotpedia, the commission was split on the map. Its two Democratic members voted in opposition while its two Republican members were in favor. Nonpartisan chairwoman Erika Neuberg approved the map as well.
When the map was enacted, Arizona Democrats held five of the U.S. House seats and Republicans held four. But this map could change that.
Project 538 polls the new map as having two Democratic-leaning seats, six Republican-leaning seats, and one highly competitive seat.
This is a loss of one Democratic-leaning seat, and a gain of one Republican-leaning seat from the previous map.
According to Commission data, the 1st and 6th Congressional Districts are highly competitive despite their Republican lean. Those will be the 2022 elections to watch.
Keep in mind that seven of the nine congressional districts will be changing their district numbers under the new map.
We have a list of those changes here:
- 1st Congressional District will become the 2nd Congressional District
- 2nd Congressional District will become the 6th Congressional District
- 3rd Congressional District will become the 7th Congressional District
- 4th Congressional District will become the 9th Congressional District
- 5th Congressional District will remain the 5th Congressional District
- 6th Congressional District will become the 1st Congressional District
- 7th Congressional District will become the 3rd Congressional District
- 8th Congressional District will remain the 8th Congressional District
- 9th Congressional District will become the 4th Congressional District
Make sure you know which district you'll be living in, and who your representative will be after the 2022 elections.
Legislative district map
When it comes to our State House of Representatives and Senate, Arizona is seeing some changes to the map as well.
Like the congressional district map, the legislative district map was enacted on Jan. 24, 2022. It was approved by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.
According to Ballotpedia, the commission was split on the map. Its two Democratic members voted in opposition while its two Republican members were in favor. Nonpartisan chairwoman Erika Neuberg approved the map as well.
Data provided by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission shows that across nine recent elections, 12 districts favored Democrats while 13 favored Republicans.
Four of the districts are considered "Swing Districts" because each party won at least one election out of the nine.
Five districts are considered highly competitive by the Commission. That means there was less than a 4% difference between the number of votes cast for Democrats and Republicans.
Four of those five districts elected more Republican officials than Democratic ones.
District 16 might not be a Swing District, but it is considered highly competitive. Even though the Republican Party won all nine elections in this district, there was only a 3.6% difference between the number of Democratic and Republican votes cast.
With a voting-age population of 171,727, that's a difference of only about 6,100 people.
Elections are on the way
With all these changes in mind, voters have their work cut out for them if they want to see themselves represented in our government.
The State Primary Election is taking place Aug. 2, 2022.
The State General Election will happen Nov. 8, 2022.
You can find more information on all Arizona elections on the Secretary of State website.
Visit my.arizona.vote to check your voter registration status, or register to vote. Because here in Arizona, every vote counts.
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