What is the Current Status of Redistricting?
We have finished updating district, precinct, and polling place data in Leon County.
- You can view the new district and precinct maps by visiting our County Maps page.
- You can view a side-by-side comparison of the old and the new maps by visiting the Compare Election District and Precinct Changes page.
- The map comparison is best viewed using a computer rather than smartphone.
- The comparison tool was created by the Leon County GIS Department in cooperation with the Elections Office.
- You can view or download an updated list of all the Election Day polling places.
- We are sending a new voter information card to every voter in Leon County. The card lists your district, precinct, and Election Day polling place.
- You can check your specific district, precinct, and Election Day polling place at any time by using the Voter Information Lookup.
What Is Redistricting?
Each of Florida's 28 United States Representatives, 40 State Senators, and 120 State Representatives are elected from political divisions called districts. The Leon County Commission and School Board also have districts. Redistricting is the process for updating the maps for these various districts to balance the population after each census.
Why Are Districts Changing?
Every ten years, the United States census counts each person in the country. The Census Bureau uses this information to assign seats in the U.S. House of Representatives to each state. This is known as “reapportionment.” Since Florida’s population increased, we gained a seat in the House of Representatives, growing from 27 to 28 seats. Legislators must draw new district lines to add the new seat to Florida’s map of congressional districts.
Elected officials must also make sure that population is evenly distributed across all the districts. Since millions of people have moved, died, or been born since the last census, district lines for federal, state, and local offices must be redrawn so that each district includes the same number of people. This ensures that every voter has the same amount of power when casting their ballot.
Who Is in Charge of Redistricting?
U.S. House of Representatives Districts
The Florida Legislature is responsible for drawing new maps for Florida’s U.S. House of Representative districts.
Florida House and Florida Senate Districts
The Florida Legislature is responsible for drawing new maps for Florida Senate and Florida House districts.
Leon County Board of County Commissioners
The Leon County Board of County Commissioners is responsible for drawing new district maps for five of the seven County Commissioner seats. The two remaining seats are elected by all voters in Leon County, also know as “at-large,” so they do not have district maps.
Leon County School Board
The Leon County School Board is responsible for drawing new maps for the five School Board districts.
City of Tallahassee
The Tallahassee City Commission does not have districts. Instead, the mayor and each city commissioner are “at-large” seats, so all voters registered within city limits can vote in each contest. Since there are no districts, there is no redistricting.
Leon County Supervisor of Elections Office
Our office does not draw district lines. However, we do play a part in the redistricting process. Once the new districts are drawn, we must draw new precinct lines. We update the precinct boundaries so that they align with the new district maps for federal, state, and local offices. We then assign each voter to the precinct that includes their address. This process is known as “reprecincting.”
Each precinct has an associated Election Day polling place. Since precincts are changing, some polling places will change as well. Starting with the 2022 Primary Election, some voters will have new Election Day polling places. If there is a change that affects you, we will let you know.
How Will I Learn About my New Districts and Polling Place?
Once redistricting and reprecincting is complete, we will mail new voter information cards. The card lists your districts, your precinct, and the address of your Election Day polling place. We will mail these cards out in the summer of 2022.
You can check your current districts, precinct, and Election Day polling place by using the Voter Information Lookup.
When Does Redistricting Take Place?
Redistricting is a lengthy process. View the timeline below for a summary of key dates. Note that this timeline is tentative and subject to change depending on litigation or other factors.
- April 26, 2021: U.S. Census Bureau releases
apportionment data to states.
- August 12, 2021: U.S. Census Bureau releases redistricting
data to states.
- October 2021: Leon County working group develops
proposed redistricting map for county commission seats.
- December 14, 2021: Leon County adopts new maps
for county commission districts.
- January 11 - March 11, 2022: Florida legislature
meets in session. New district maps for U.S. House of Representatives, Florida
Senate, and Florida House will be approved during this session.
- Spring 2022: Supervisor of Elections Office
draws new precinct maps.
- June 13 – June 17, 2022: Candidates qualify to
run for office using new district maps.
- Summer 2022: Supervisor of Elections Office mails new voter information cards to all voters in Leon County.
- August 23, 2022: Primary Election using new
district maps and Election Day polling places.
- November 8, 2022: General Election using new
district maps and Election Day polling places.
Where Can I Learn More About Redistricting?
You can view information about the 2020 U.S. Census from the United States Census Bureau website.
You can learn more about U.S. House, Florida Senate, and Florida House redistricting by visiting the Florida Legislature’s Redistricting website.
You can learn more about Leon County Commission redistricting by visiting the Leon County Redistricting website.
You can learn more about Leon County School Board redistricting by contacting the Leon County School Board.
You can view current district maps on our Leon County Maps page.
Legal References
US Constitution
Federal Law
- Voting
Rights Act of 1965
– Prohibits voting practices and procedures, including
redistricting, which discriminate based on race, color, or membership in a
language minority group.
Florida Constitution
- Article III, Section 16 - Requires the Florida Legislature to divide the state into 30 to 40 contiguous senatorial districts and 80 to 120 contiguous house districts.
- Article III, Sections 20 & 21 - Prohibits line-drawing that intentionally favors or disfavors a political party or an incumbent.
- Article VIII, Section 1(e) – Sets the size of county commissions at five or seven members and requires redistricting after each census. Districts must be of contiguous territory and nearly equal population.
- Article IX, Section 4(a) – Creates school boards and districts.
Florida Statutes
- Section 11.031 – Requires that Florida Legislature exclusively use data from the U.S. Census Bureau to redraw districts.
- Section 124.01 – Sets standards for county commissioner districts.
- Section 1001.36 – Sets standards for school board districts.