Arizona
| Redistricting Process: Independent Commission | Population Change (since 2000): 1,261,385 |
| Legislature: Republican | Seats: 9 (+1 from 2010) |
| Governor: Jan Brewer (R) | Members of Congress: 4R, 5D |
| Party Control: Republican | 2012: 44.1% Obama, 54.2% Romney |
Map Instructions:
Three maps are available for each state. Each has new district outlines in bold.
Click on each district on the map to see more information.
Click the arrow button to switch between districts that are close together.
New Districts by Party Representation
Redistricting Analysis: Arizona Gains a Seat
2010 Redistricting Changes:
Old Districts by Partisan Voting Index
Old Districts by Party Representation with New District Outlines
In the past decade, Arizona’s population grew at a remarkable rate. Between 2000 and 2010, the Grand Canyon State experienced a net gain of over 1.26 million people. Arizona’s population growth was second only to Nevada, growing at a rate of 24.6%. In response to this growth, Arizona gained a congressional seat, increasing its House delegation from eight to nine. The majority of Arizona’s population growth took place in Maricopa County and in the suburbs of Phoenix, as urban sprawl has greatly expanded the Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
Like many states western states, Arizona’s minority population increased proportionately, while its proportion of white residents decreased. In total, Arizona’s White population increased by approximately 394,759 between 2000 and 2010.The Latino population grew from 25.3% to 30.1% of the total population, gaining about 628,380 Latino or Hispanic residents. Other minority groups have seen substantial growth between censuses: Asian populations have more than doubled from 92,236 to 191,760 and the African-American population has grown by 81.1%. The state has also aged, as the median age edged up from 34 to 35.9 years.
Arizona has an independent redistricting commission, sanctioned by the voters in 2000 with the passage of Proposition 206. The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) is comprised of five members: two Democratic members of the public, two Republican members of the public, and one independent member of the public who serves as chair. The AIRC began presenting drafts for public input on August 12, 2011. Throughout the spring and summer of 2011, the Commission held over twenty meetings across Arizona to gather input. On December 20, 2011, the AIRC voted 3 to 2 to approve the congressional maps, with four Republican-leaning districts, two Democratic-leaning, and three competitive. The Commission cast its final vote on January 17, 2012. Three voted in favor and two opposed to the final congressional maps, with the independent chair siding with the two Democrats. The Department of Justice Approved the Maps on April 26, 2012.
First District
Arizona’s First District remained fairly similar to its predecessor. Its southern border continues to run along the southern borders of Graham and Pinal Counties, then avoiding the Phoenix Metropolitan Area until it runs northward along Yavapai County’s southern border. One major difference is that the First District no longer scoops out and separates the Hopi Indian reservation from the Navajo. The previous district separated the two tribes, but the 2011 lines consolidate them into one large district that covers northeastern Arizona. Nearly one-quarter of the district is of Native American descent. Only one-half of the district is White, a disproportionate number compared to the rest of the state.
District One is one of three competitively drawn Arizona districts. Democrats have a nine-point registration advantage in the district, and there are as many not-specified voters as registered Republicans (30.3% compared to 30.1%). Despite registration figures, a Republican has won the seat in four of the past six elections. District One’s slight alterations may have favored the Democratic Party, but the district remains competitive nonetheless.
Second District
Arizona’s Second District geographically replaced the former District Eight. District Two similarly covers all of Cochise County, but now it only reaches into Pima County instead of reaching into both Pima and Santa Cruz Counties (as District Eight had previously). Tucson is split by the western border, with about half within District Two and the other half in District Three. The district is 64.4% White and 25.8%Latino. African-Americans make up only 3.6% of the district.
Competitiveness indexes give Republicans a slight advantage in District Two. Republicans have a very slight .5% registration advantage over Democrats, but due to the Democrats’ ability to nominate more moderate candidates, they have been able to win the district in recent years. Due to immigration influxes, district two is now more compact and more Latino, and should grow more competitive through the decade.
Third District
District Three covers most of the Arizona-Mexico border, stretching from the western border of Cochise County across to the Colorado River at the City of Yuma and the Arizona-California border. The northern borders of the district reach into southwest Pinal County and well into Maricopa County extending as far north as the Phoenix’s West Valley. The new District Three covers most of the former Seventh District, except for old District Seven’s extension through northern Yuma County and into La Paz County. District Three is a minority-majority: Whites make up only 34.6% of voting age population while 55.2% are Latino. African-Americans and Native Americans also have a proportionally strong presence in the district, respectively accounting for 3.9% and 3.2% of residents.
Most indexes give Democrats about a 20-point advantage. Party registration figures have Democrats with a 21-point advantage over Republicans. Republicans account for only 21.9% of registrants, coming in third behind both Democrats and not-specified voters.
Fourth District
District Four stretches across the majority of Arizona’s western border. It reaches into seven counties, as the district line moves east from Yuma, works north around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, and then dives south into Pinal County. The northern extent of the district extends through Yavapai County and all the way to the northern Arizona border in Mohave County. District Four covers most of the former Second District and large parts of the previous First and Seventh Districts. Of all the newly-drawn congressional districts, District Four has the largest proportion of White voting age population (79.7%).
District Four is one of four Republican-favored districts drawn by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. The Commission’s two-party index has the district at a 63.9-36.1 Republican split, translating into a solid Republican district. According to registration figures, over one-third (35.1%) of District Four voters do not identify with either party. But, due to an 18-point Republican registration advantage, the Republicans are able to dominate the district electorally. Republicans have represented northwestern Arizona since 2002.
Fifth District
District Five is a predominantly urban district that hugs the Phoenix Metropolitan Area’s East Valley. The district includes most of Chandler, all of Gilbert, and the eastern half of Mesa. The entirety of the district lies within Maricopa County, with the district’s southern and eastern borders tracing the Maricopa-Pinal County line. The northern district boundary runs along the southern extent of the Salt River Indian Community. The new District Five has very little in common with its predecessor. Instead, it mirrors the old Sixth District, except that District Six extended southeast into Pinal County. This difference in compactness is due to the population boom that occurred in Phoenix’s East Valley. District Five voting age population is 76.8% White and only 14.0% Latino.
District Five includes many of Arizona’s Republican strongholds, such as Mesa and Chandler. It has the highest number of registered Republicans, accounting for nearly half of all registered voters (44.4%). Democrats account for only 22.3% of the electorate, the lowest of all Arizona districts. This leaves one-third (33.3%) of voters not affiliated with either party. Of the four districts drawn to favor Republicans, district four is their safest seat. Republicans have represented the area for decades.
Sixth District
District Six covers Phoenix’s northern suburbs and reaches into rural areas to the north. The district includes most of Scottsdale, North Phoenix, and smaller cities north of Phoenix such as Cave Creek and Carefree. All of District Six is within Maricopa County. The western boundary cuts north through Phoenix’s West Valley and runs along the Interstate-17 north until it turns west at the 74 Highway, extending into the sparsely populated, high deserts of northern Maricopa County. The district’s eastern boundary includes the Salt River Indian Community and Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. District Six is largely the former Fifth District, except the new district does not include Tempe or reach nearly as far to the northwest. District Six’s relative compactness reflects the amount of growth in Phoenix’s northwest valley. The district has the fewest Latino residents of any Arizona congressional district (15.2%) and very few Native Americans (1.6%).
District Six heavily favors Republicans; the Commission’s two-party competitiveness index gives Republicans over a 25-point advantage. Although it is not the Republican’s safest seat, it is a solidly red district. It is one of five districts where Democrats are third in party registration behind the Republicans and not-specified voters. The northwest valley is strongly Republican; the GOP has represented the area for the past decade.
Seventh District
Arizona’s Seventh District is an urban district that includes a large portion of Phoenix and Glendale and lies entirely within Maricopa County. The district’s eastern border runs north along 48th Street and then around Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Northern Avenue serves as the northern extreme of the district and 107th Avenue as the eastern extreme. The southern border reaches far enough south to include Phoenix’s South Mountain, but does not reach as far as Ahwatukee. The district primarily covers what was the Fourth. Much like many Phoenix-area districts, the new district is more compact in comparison to its predecessor due to population booms in Phoenix and its suburbs. The district is a minority-majority district, with the fewest white residents of any Arizona congressional district (21%). District Seven is 64.4% Latino and 8.6% African-American, giving it the largest Latino and African-American populations of any Arizona congressional district.
District Seven is one of two Democrat-favored districts drawn by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. It is the Democrats’ safest Arizona seat, as it holds the most registered Democrats and fewest registered Republicans of any Arizona district (giving Democrats about a 27-point registration advantage). It is one of three districts in which Republicans are third in registration behind both Democrats and not-specified voters.
Eighth District
District Eight includes west Phoenix and suburbs to the west and northwest. Its eastern boundary cuts through West Phoenix and extends as far north as Maricopa County’s northern border. The district’s northwestern border reaches far into the desert northwest of Phoenix, beyond the retirement communities in Surprise and Sun City West. The new District Eight covers the southwest portion of former District Two and northwest portion of former District Four. The district’s compactness reflects Maricopa County’s significant population growth since 2001. Demographically, District Eight is 71.7% White, with relatively few Latinos (18.5%) and the smallest Native American population of any Arizona congressional district (0.7%).
District Eight favors Republicans by an average of 22 points according to the Commission’s competitiveness indexes. Only 25.7% of all voters are registered Democrats, compared to the Republican’s 41.4%. District Eight is one of four Republican-favored districts drawn by Arizona’s commission, although it is slightly more competitive than the other safe Republican districts. Republicans have represented Phoenix’s northwest suburbs since the last round of redistricting in 2001.
Ninth District
Arizona’s Ninth District is an entirely urban district that encompasses the heart of Phoenix. The district’s eastern boundary bisects Mesa. Its northeastern boundary negotiates around the Salt River Indian Community boundary until it cuts farther east to include South Scottsdale and Central Phoenix. The northern extent of District Nine reaches Dunlap Avenue and runs as far east as Interstate-17. Moving south, the western boundary dives southeast to avoid downtown Phoenix before it draws around Tempe and Ahwatukee, ending at Pecos Road and Loop-202. District Nine includes Arizona State University, the Arizona Biltmore, and other points of interest within the Phoenix Metropolitan Area. The district is comprised of portions of the old Third, Fifth, and Sixth districts. The Ninth District is demographically diverse: it has proportionally fewer White residents (59.1%), a large number of Latinos (26.9%), and significant Asian and African-American populations (4.1% and 4.8%, respectively); more than other Arizona districts.
District Nine is one of three competitively-drawn congressional districts. It is the only district where not-specified voters (35.1%) outnumber Democratic and Republican registration (31.3% and 33.5%, respectively). Though Republicans hold a slight registration advantage, the district is a toss-up according to the Commission’s competitiveness indexes.