New Jersey Redistricting and Apportionment

About the New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission

This website provides information about the redistricting process in New Jersey, including information about the Legislative Apportionment Commission created by the State Constitution, access to the geography and population data used for redistricting, interactive maps, and more.

As required by the New Jersey Constitution, the Redistricting Commission is charged with redrawing the lines of the State’s congressional districts, from which candidates for office are elected to serve in the United States House of Representatives.

Redistricting Process in New Jersey

The congressional redistricting process in New Jersey unfolds following congressional apportionment. Under congressional apportionment, Congress allocates the 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives to each state as required by the United States Constitution and in proportion to each state’s population. The Clerk of the House of Representatives transmits to the Governor of each state a certificate specifying the number of Representatives to which the state is entitled.

Congressional redistricting must then be undertaken in each state to create the congressional districts from which are elected the number of Representatives apportioned to the state by Congress. The purpose of redrawing the congressional districts is to ensure equal democratic representation in Congress among the members of the state’s population.

Apportionment and Redistricting

Both congressional apportionment and redistricting must be undertaken at the beginning of each decade to account for population changes that occurred during the previous decade in the United States, and within the geographic boundaries of each state. The United States Constitution establishes the federal decennial census as the basis for both apportionment and redistricting. The census provides the raw demographic and geographic data from which congressional districts are created.

In New Jersey, the congressional districts map is created by the 13-member Redistricting Commission. Members have been appointed in accordance with the New Jersey Constitution to serve as commissioners for the current redistricting round.

New Jersey Constitution

Under the New Jersey Constitution, the commission must adopt the new congressional districts map by majority vote of its members, and certify such map to the New Jersey Secretary of State, on or before Tuesday, January 18, 2022. However, if the commission is not able to certify a congressional districts plan by that date, the New Jersey Supreme Court is required to certify one of the two district plans receiving the greatest number of votes (but not fewer than five votes), based on which of the two plans conforms most closely to federal legal and constitutional requirements.

As required by the State Constitution, the Redistricting Commission will be holding at least three public hearings in different parts of the State.

About the New Jersey Legislative Apportionment Commission

This website is designed to provide information to the general public about the purpose and process of legislative redistricting in New Jersey, and to facilitate the public’s input in this very important process.

As required by the New Jersey Constitution, the Apportionment Commission is charged with redrawing the lines of the State's 40 legislative districts, from which the 40 Senators and 80 Assemblymembers of the New Jersey State Legislature are elected.

Apportionment Process in New Jersey

Legislative redistricting must be undertaken at the beginning of each decade to account for population changes that occur during the previous decade within the geographic boundaries of the State.

US Census

Before the legislative redistricting process can begin, the federal decennial census of the United States must be taken. The census provides the raw demographic and geographic data from which legislative districts are created. The United States Constitution establishes the census as the basis for the apportionment of members of the House of Representatives, but is silent as to the mechanics of establishing legislative districts. Therefore, each state has its own method of redrawing legislative boundaries at the start of each decade.

Redistricting Map

In New Jersey the redistricting map is created by the Apportionment Commission. Initially, the Commission consists of 10 members appointed in equal numbers by the chairmen of the State committees of each of the two political parties whose candidates for Governor received the largest number of votes at the most recent gubernatorial election. If the Commissioners cannot agree on a map, an 11th Commissioner is appointed by the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Official Site of The State of New Jersey