Get the Facts

Current Oregon Process

Every 10 years, the US Census requires that states must re-draw legislative and congressional electoral districts to account for population changes. Currently, these legislative and congressional districts in Oregon are drawn by legislators and subject to a veto by the Governor.

Redistricting in Oregon

• New district lines based on the 2020 census will be especially important because Oregon is projected to gain a sixth U.S. congressional seat due to population growth.
• Only four states in the West – including Oregon – don’t have some form of independent redistricting.
• Only twice since 1911 has the Oregon legislature passed a redistricting plan that became the final adopted plan. Oregon politicians have failed more often than not.

Read more about Oregon’s history of redistricting.

Redistricting around the country

• Advocates across the country in red, blue and purple states are fighting to reform redistricting to put people, not politicians, in charge of the process.
• Starting in 2018, six states have passed redistricting reforms: Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, and Utah
• Seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana and Washington have independent citizen redistricting commissions

Click the map to read more about redistricting efforts in other states.

2021 Redistricting – Oregon Legislature

In 2021, then Speaker Kotek made a deal with the minority Republicans that there would be an even, bipartisan committee that would oversee the redistricting process in the legislature. Eventually, the Speaker backed out of that agreement, and a set of partisan maps were passed. These maps split communities of interest, drew sitting legislators out of their districts and was given an F by the  Princeton Gerrymandering Project.