Understanding Communities of Interest in Redistricting

One of the most important yet often misunderstood principles of fair redistricting is the concept of "communities of interest." This principle holds that people who share common concerns — whether geographic, economic, social, or cultural — should be kept together in the same electoral district so they can effectively advocate for their shared interests.

Communities of interest can be defined by many factors: shared economic circumstances (such as a farming region or a manufacturing corridor), environmental concerns (communities along a shared watershed), cultural identity, transportation patterns, school districts, or other bonds that create common political interests.

When redistricting splits these communities across multiple districts, their collective voice is diluted and their ability to elect representatives who understand and respond to their unique needs is diminished. This fragmentation can be just as harmful to representation as traditional gerrymandering based on party affiliation.

Identifying and mapping communities of interest is both an art and a science. Public testimony during redistricting hearings provides essential information about how communities define themselves and where they see their boundaries. This bottom-up approach to community definition is far more meaningful than top-down assumptions about which areas belong together.

Fair Districts 2012 advocates for redistricting processes that actively solicit community-of-interest testimony and give this input meaningful weight in the map-drawing process. When communities are empowered to define themselves, the resulting districts are more likely to produce genuine representation.