Rhode Island. General Assembly

Following each decennial Census of the United States, Rhode Island, like most states, must redraw existing congressional and state legislative districts based on the principal of one-person, one-vote. While the ultimate responsibility for the redrawing process lies with the Rhode Island Legislature, this decade, like in 1990, the Legislature has established a Special Commission on Reapportionment. The Commission recommended plans for congressional, senatorial and representative districts for enactment by the 2002 Rhode Island General Assembly.

Articles VII and VIII of the Constitution of Rhode Island require representative and senatorial districts to be “as nearly equal in population…as possible.” Article 1 of the United States Constitution requires that the House of Representatives be apportioned among the states “according to their respective numbers.” Periodic redistricting is necessary to equalize district populations that change over time due to population shifts. The decennial census provides the demographic data needed to equalize district populations.

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