Florida
| Redistricting Process: Legislative | Population Change (since 2000): 2,818,932 |
| Legislature: Republican | Seats: 27 (+2 from 2010) |
| Governor: Rick Scott (R) | Members of Congress: 17R, 10D |
| Party Control: Republican | 2012: 50% Obama, 49.1% 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
2010 Redistricting Changes:
Old Districts by Partisan Voting Index with New District Outlines
Old Districts by Party Representation with New District Outlines
Redistricting Analysis: Florida Nets Two New Seats
Between 2000 and 2010, Florida’s population increased by 17.6% or 2.8 million residents. In terms of raw population gain, Florida ranked third, behind Texas and California. The changes were in line with the demographic trends of the last decade; southern and western states saw enormous population increases at 14.3% and 13.8% respectively, while the Northeast and Midwest stalled at 3.2% and 3.9%. Miami, the seventh most populous city in the United States, was home to much of the population increase, growing by about 557,071 residents. The population increase was far higher than the 9.7% increase of the United States, and was enough to warrant an additional two congressional seats. Currently, Florida is the fourth most populous state in the nation, with 18.801310 residents, 27 congressional districts, and 29 electoral votes.
Beneath the population growth, Florida also experienced some considerable demographic shifts. The White population, which in 2000 accounted for nearly 78.0% of the state’s total now makes up only 75% of the overall population. The total Hispanic population has increased nearly 57% in the past decade, and has seen its share of the population increase from 16.8% o 22.5%. The third largest minority group, Asians, population grew from 1.7% of the population to 2.4% of the population. The African American population increased 28% percent, and now composes 16.0% of the total population.
Redistricting in Florida is done by the state legislature. Maps, like most other forms of legislation, can be vetoed by the governor. As per the Voting Rights Act, Florida is one of fifteen states whose maps must receive approval by the United States Justice Department. Republicans controlled the redistricting process with solid majorities in both the chambers and also the governor’s office. Although some feared the that sizable control of Republican politicians would affect the plans, Chairman Sen. Don Gaetz stated that the meetings and plans would all be public, allowing Florida residents to analyze and critique the plans.
Despite these promises however, Florida’s redistricting process had its share of political infighting, mostly because of the difficulty to keep districts compact and representative. In line with the Latino population increase more Florida districts were Democrat-leaning. At the same time, however, the GOP districts were strengthened. A map was passed by the Florida State Senate on January 17 by a 34-6 margin. It was later approved the Florida House. Almost immediately after passage, Democrats filed suit against the congressional map in the state court. The suit alleged that the maps were “drawn with the intent to favor a political party” and “drawn with the intent to diminish the ability of racial and language minorities”. Although the case was still ongoing, the court ordered the maps to be used for the 2012 elections.
First District
The First District is located in the north western corner of Florida. It is nearly identical to its predecessor, having only added in small territories to the east. The First is home to Escambia, Holmes, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Walton counties, drawing most of its population from Escambia. The First experienced modest growth in the last decade. Demographically, the district is also similar to its predecessor. In 2000, Caucasians dominated the population, with 78.4%. In 2010, this number had scarcely changed, falling slightly to 77.6%. The Hispanic population rose from 2.8% to 4.8%, while the African American population rose from 12.3% to 12.9%. Overall, the district had a population that did not deviate from the ideal, standing at 696,345.
541,696 individuals are eligible to vote. The district leans conservative, with 244,269 citizens registered as Republican and only 137,347 registered as Democrats. Much of this is due to the heavy conservative slant of Okaloosa and Santa Rosa Counties; most of the other counties have equal voter registration.
Second District
Florida’s redrawn Second Congressional District, which is located in the northwestern arm of the state and includes the major city of Tallahassee, is composed of the entirety of the counties of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Taylor, Wakulla, and Washington, as well as 20.41% of Madison County and 42.98% Holmes County. This differs from the previous District 2 in that it gained all of Washington County, the western half of Madison County, the eastern edge of Holmes County, and the remaining areas of Leon and Jefferson County which, prior to redistricting, had been located in the Fourth District. District 2 also lost the counties of Dixie, Taylor, Lafayette, and Suwanee, as well as the southern strip of Walton County and a small southeastern portion of Okaloosa County.
The new District 2 contains the ideal district population of 696,345 people. Prior to redistricting, it had a population of 670,676 people, or 25,669 fewer people than the new district, of which the voting age population (VAP) was 533,063 people, which represented 79.5% of the total population. This share remained essentially unchanged by redistricting; the new district’s VAP is 552,670 people, which is 79.4% of the district’s total population.
In the new district, despite the overall population increase, the number of registered voters decreased to 416,712, which represents a reduction by 8.6% in voter registration in the new district. In the 2012 elections, the percent of registered Democrats increased by 0.2 of a percent, to 52.7%, while the number registered Republican decreased by 1.5 percentage points to 32.6.
The new Second District, based on 2010 census data, has a population that is 66.5% White, 25.0% Black, and 4.8% Hispanic.
Third District
District 3 is located in the northern part of the state, bordering Georgia. It encompasses nine entire counties, and parts of three more. It touches the northwestern edge of Marion County, and the large portion of Clay County. The largest county is Alachua, from which the Third draws 202, 969 residents. That county alone, which is only 969.1 square miles, makes up over thirty percent of the district’s population. Unlike some parts of Florida, the Third District does not have highly concentrated population centers. The most populous city is Gainesville, which has a population 125,326. The new district is completely different from the old third, which was located in the middle of Florida. It draws primarily from territories previously a part of the old Second, Fourth, and Fifth. The district houses 696,345 residents, matching the ideal population exactly. It is significantly less diverse than the rest of Florida, 78.9% of residents are White, 13.6% are African American, and 7.7% are Hispanic.
Politically, the third district is relatively evenly split. Of the 550,192 eligible voters, 431,601 have identified with a political party. Of those who are party affiliated, 175,138 identify with the Republican party and 176,788 identify with the Democrats.
Fourth District
District Four is located in the north eastern corner Florida, and is shaped like an upside down U. It is comprised of the former Fourth and Seventh Districts. However, because of the rapid population growth in the region, it has shrunk considerably from its previous size.
The district only holds two entire counties, Baker and Nassau, and parts of one more, Duval. Duval, home to Jacksonville, Florida, is the seventh most populous county in the state. Much of Jacksonville is located in the Fourth, particularly the beach communities on the eastern portion of the state. However, Jacksonville has been allocated to the newly drawn Fifth District. The district has a population of 66,345, matching the ideal population perfectly. Of these,approximately 595,916 are residents from Duval County, or about 85.58% of the district’s total population. By comparison, Baker County, which is only slightly smaller than Duval County, has a population of only 27154 . Demographically, the Third District is predominantly White. Caucasians make up 78.9% of the population while African Americans make up 13.6%.
Of the 696,345 residents, around 541,497 of them are of voting age. Much like the aggregate population, the majority of potential voters are White. However, the disparity is even larger. Because the minority populations are typically younger, approximately 80% of the district’s potential voters are White, 13% are African American, and the remaining 7% are Hispanic. A majority of the residents, 443,318, have affiliated with a political party. Most, 207,197 identify with the Republicans, followed by Democrats at 145,890. With registered Republicans significantly outnumbering Registred Democrats, the district was ranked by the NYTimes as being “Solid Republican.”
Fifth District
Compared to the old boundaries, the new Fifth has completely changed. From 2001-2011, the district was located on the western coast of Florida, bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The new fifth is now long, narrow, and located in the inland parts of Florida. It includes eight different counties; Alachua, Clay, Duval, Lake, Marion, Orange, Putnam, and Seminole. Of these, Durval and Orange Counties are the largest,with a combined population of 547,362. With a total district population of 696,345, the two compose nearly 80% of the total population. The Fifth does not hold any complete districts. Demographically, the population is composed primarily of African Americans, who make up 52.2% of the population. Whites account for 38.3. Hispanics make up only 11.8% of the district. Such numbers differ greatly from the state’s aggregate breakdown of 57.5% White, 16.5% African American, and 21.6% Hispanic. The largest district in the Fifth is Jacksonville, which is split between the Fourth and Fifth.
Of the total number of residents, approximately 515,149 are of voting age. Democrats are the heavy majority in the district, outnumbering Republicans by more than 220,000.
Sixth District
Prior to redistricting, District 6 stretched from the St. Johns River and Jacksonville to the northern tip of the Greater Orlando area in Lake County. It was comprised of all of Bradford and Gilchrist Counties and portions of Alachua, Clay, Duval, Lake, Levy, and Marion Counties. After redistricting, the district completely shifted its geographical region, retaining none of the same counties. The district now includes 100% of Flagger, 65.75% of Putnam, 100% of St. Johns, and 73.13% of Volusia Counties. Volusia County accounts for the majority of the district’s population with a total of 361,713 people or 51.94% of the district’s total. Between 2000 and 2010, the district experienced substantial growth, from 639,295 people to 812,727 people, or a 16.7% increase. After redistricting, the district has a population size of 695,345, which matches the ideal population for each district perfectly. Demographically, the sixth is comprised of 11.4% Hispanic, 84.7% White, and 9.5% African American.
Approximately 545,013 of the 696,345 residents in the sixth are of voting age. The district is composed of slightly more Republicans than Democrats, with 198,210 to 167,733, and 101,507 people have no party preference. The New York Times predicted that a Republican would win the sixth, labeling the district as “solidly Republican.”
Seventh District
Located near the middle of Florida, District 7 has changed dramatically from its coastal predecessor. The new district is a combination of the old Eighth and Twenty Fourth. Relatively compact when compared to other districts, the Seventh holds only three counties: Orange, Seminole, and Volusia. The district has 15.43% of Orange and 26.87% of Volusia, and 91.48% of Seminole Counties. Compared to its immediate neighbors, the Seventh District is smaller than most, with the exception of the coastal districts in the south. Seminole County comprises the majority of the district’s population, at 386,687, or 55.53% of the district’s total. Between 2000 and 2010, the region experienced fairly rapid population growth at 16.7%, a rate in line with the state average but far in excess of the national figures. At 696,345 residents, the Seventh District population matches the ideal population exactly. Of these, 77.3% are White, 8.8% are African American, and 18.6% are Hispanic. The Seventh District is fairly rural None of its main cities, which include Deltona, DeBary, and Oviedo, have populations greater than 50,000.
545,013 residents are of voting age; of them, 431,692 are registered voters. Republicans have a slight numbers advantage, outpacing Democrats by 170,586 to 146,820. 108,838 have stated no party affiliation, with a remainder split between other political parties. The New York Times expects Florida’s 7th district to go to the Republicans, labeling it “solidly republican” in their 2012 map.
Eighth District
Florida’s Eighth District is geographically different than its predecessor. it is located on the eastern coastline, towards the middle of the state. Such changes are more representative of the 24th and 15th then the 8th. District 8 now includes all of Brevard and Indian River Counties as well as a small portion of Orange County. Despite holding a piece of the highly populous Orange County, District 8 draws most of its population from Brevard.
The population is 698,344, which is one less person than the ideal. The voting age population is 559,112, of whom only 466,620 are registered to vote, 205,257 as Republicans and 156,627 as Democrats.
Ninth District
Florida’s Ninth District has completely relocated, and now bears a closer resemblance to the old Twelfth and Fifteenth than its predecessor. Previously coastal and heavily populated, the Ninth congressional district is now located inland, with the counties of Orange, Osceola, and Polk. It covers portions of the heavily populated Orlando area, and extends to the more rural portions of Polk County. Orange is one of the largest counties in the state, with a population of approximately 1,145,956 residents. The Ninth has only 31.10% of Orange, yet the county accounts for over 50% of its total population. Of the remaining population, Osceola makes up 68.59% of the total while Polk makes up an only 0.23%. The district has a population of 696,345, matching the ideal population exactly. Much of the Ninth’s residents are concentrated in Orlando, despite a sizable population of more rural residents in the south. The Ninth District has changed not only geographically, but demographically as well. Of its residents, 44.1% are Hispanic, 11.8% are African American, and 39.5% are White. By comparison, the 2001-2011 districts had a population of 56.3% African American and 59.5% White.
Currently, there are 394,397 potential voters in the Ninth District. In terms of registration, Democrats hold a sizable advantage, 166,493 to 108,175 for Republicans.
Tenth District
District Ten has completely changed from its predecessor. The district, which used to be a small territory on the coast, is now located in the middle of Florida. It has expanded greatly, and looks to be a combination of the Eighth and Twelfth district. The Tenth District has only three counties, Lake, Orange, and Polk which together, have 696,345 residents. The number of residents within the tenth district matches the ideal population exactly. Lake and Orange Counties make up the lion’s share of the district’s population, contributing 37.33% and 45.78% of the district’s total population, respectively. The majority of residents are Caucasian, with single race Whites making up 69.9% of the district’s population. Hispanics are the second largest demographic group, accounting for 16.1% slightly above the composition of African American residents which stands at 11.6%. The district, like Florida, has become more diverse within the last decade. Previously, the area now encompassed by the tenth district had a Hispanic population of only 9.4%, and a single-race White population of 77.5%.
545,033 residents are of voting age, and a majority of them have registered to vote. Republicans hold a registration advantage over Democrats, by a margin of 174,166 to 153,040.
The third largest political party is the independent party, which trails far behind at 11,058.
Eleventh District
Before redistricting, District 11 was comprised of mostly Tampa, its suburbs, and the shoreline of southeastern Hillsborough County in addition to the urban neighborhoods of south St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and neighborhoods in and around Bradenton in Manatee County. The district completely shifted geographical boundaries. The Eleventh has 100% of Citrus County, 100% of Hernando County, 6.59% of Lake County, 81.29% of Marion County, and 100% of Sumter County. Between 2000 and 2010, the population in the Eleventh grew from 639,295 to 673,799, a 5.39% increase. Its 696,345, matches the ideal population perfectly. Demographically, the district has a majority Caucasian population, with single-race whites making up 83.1% of the population. Hispanics are 7.4% of the population, which is slightly less than the African American population of 8.3%.
In the Eleventh, 574,232 are of voting age. The Republican to Democrat registration ratio is 206,402 to 168,474. Of the remaining voters, 81,152 have no party affiliation and the remaining support third parties. The New York Times has rated the district as a “strongly Republican” leaning district.
Twelfth District
The Twelfth District is located on the western edge of the state, and is mainly comprised of Pasco County. It also holds portions of Hillsborough and Pinellas. It has completely shifted, drawing upon the old 15th and 24th rather than its predecessor. Despite these changes, the district still has a population extremely close to the ideal at 696,344. The twelfth includes Port Richly, Tarpon Springs, and Dade City.
Demographically, the district is composed mostly Whites, who make up 79.8% of the district’s total. Distantly following is the Hispanic population, which stands at 11%. While the white population continues to be the most dominant racial group within the twelfth, there have been some small shifts. Ten years ago, the White population was 88.5% of the district, while Hispanics were only 6.1%. The district has a VAP of 548, 058, of which 463,931 are registered. The district seems relatively evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.
Thirteenth District
The Thirteenth District is composed of the western portion of the Tampa Bay Area, including all but the southern tip of the peninsula. It closely resembles the former Tenth District, rather than the former Thirteenth, because of renumbering in the redistricting process. Both the new Thirteenth and the previous Tenth Districts are entirely within Pinellas County. The new Thirteenth now extends farther north on the east side of Pinellas County and slightly farther south on the western side, making the northern edge of the district more flat and uniform than it was in the former Tenth.
The new Thirteenth District contains the ideal district population of 696,345 people. The old 10th district had a population of 633,889, which is 62,456 fewer people. The district’s population thus increased in size by just under 10%.
The Thirteenth District has 451,557 registered voters, composing 78% of its voting age population (VAP). Of its registered voters, 38.1% are Republicans, 35.1% are Democrats, and 22.5% registered with no party affiliation. In the former 10th, the district had the same share of registered voters to VAP (78%), but 36.9% were registered Republican, 38.3% were registered as Democrats, and 20.0% were registered unaffiliated. Thus, the party balance in terms of voter registration has flipped from slightly favoring Republicans to now slightly favoring Democrats The portion of voters unaligned with one of the major parties also decreased by a small amount .
In terms of demographics, as of the 2010 census, the new Thirteenth District is 80.5% White, 6.2% Black, and 8.2% Hispanic. This differs from the previous Tenth, which was 88.0% White, 3.9% Black, and 4.2% Hispanic, as of 2002. This shows that the demography has certainly become more diverse over the past decade. While the white population still makes up a large majority of the district, it dropped by almost eight percentage points, as the Hispanic percentage of the district nearly doubled and the Black share of the population saw an increase of about 60%.
Fourteenth District
Florida’s District 14 is composed of the eastern and southern regions of the Tampa Bay Area, midway along Florida’s western coast. Due to a rearrangement of district numbers in the redistricting process, the new 14th represents an entirely different geographic area than the old 14th, and resembles instead a redrawing of the previous 11th district, which, after the 2002 redistricting, contained the eastern and southern Tampa Bay Area.
The new 14th district is composed of 87.69% of the previous 11th district, 8.73% of the 12th, 4.21% of the 10th, and 0.69% of the 9th. This gives the 14th 49.59% of Hillsborough County and 10.09% of Pinellas County. The old 11th district, by comparison — based on 2000 census data — was composed of 54.26% of Hillsborough County, 7.59% of Pinellas County, and 10.38% of Manatee County. Manatee County is no longer represented in this district.
The population of the redrawn District 14 is the ideal size, given the 2010 census data, for this redistricting cycle: 696,345 people. This is an increase of 22,546 people from the 2010 population of the previous District 11 of 673,799 people.
Under the new district lines, as of 2012, 49.88% of District 14’s registered voters are registered as Democrats, and 25.44% are registered as Republicans. This means just under 25% of the registered voters in the district are unaffiliated with either of the major parties. The demography of the district based on 2010 census data describes a population that is 42.2% white, 25.3% Hispanic, and 26.6% black. In the previous 11th district, however, the population was 48.26% white, 18.99% Hispanic, and 28.24% black. This marks a notable increase in the Hispanic portion of the district, while the white and black percentages saw decreases.
Fifteenth District
Unlike the old 15th district, Florida’s new 15th is located inland, and draws its population from only two counties: Hillsborough and Polk. After losing Brevard, Indian River, and Osceola County, the new 15th more resembles the old 12th than its predecessor. Large cities within the district include Brandon, Plant, and parts of Tampa. Despite its small geographic area, the 15th’s inclusion of these metropolitan areas has resulted in a population of 696,345, perfectly matching the ideal.
Demographically, the district is predominantly Caucasian. Racially, 68.6% of the district is white, 17.3% is Hispanic, 13.1% is African American, and Asians make up 3.3%. The voting age population of the city is 528,370. This means that approximately 75% of the total population is eligible to vote. Of these registered voters, 154,436 are Republicans, 150,746 are Democrats and 80,161 have no political affiliation. In terms of registration, the district is relatively even, with a slight advantage for Republicans. During the 2012 election cycle, Republican candidate Dennis Ross ran unopposed. Representative Ross is a longtime political player, has a long record of political service, having worked for the Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations.
Sixteenth District
The 16th district of Florida has completely changed relative to its predecessor. Instead of being a medium-sized, predominantly inland district, it now is small and coastal. The district draws heavily from the old 11th and 13th districts. Currently, the 16th district has parts of four different counties: Manatee and Sarasota. The district has a population of approximately 696,345. Notably, the 16th district is home to St. Petersburg and Tampa, the state’s third and fourth largest cities respectively. Despite the inclusion of these highly populous cities, the district has an overall population of 696,345, perfectly matching the ideal.
Demographically, the district is composed of 83.5% Caucasians, 11.0% Hispanics, and 6.6% African Americans. The racial breakdown of the district is significantly different from Florida as a whole, where only about 56% of residents are Caucasian. Of the 696,345 residents within Florida, 571,804 are of voting age. Of these, an estimated 206,607 lean Republican. By comparison, 150, 893 residents are Democratic and 98,005 are independent.
Seventeenth District
Florida’s 17th congressional district is located centrally along the state peninsula, encompassing the entirety of the counties of Charlotte, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Highlands, and Okeechobee and portions smaller than 25% of Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, and Polk County. Compared to Florida’s heavily populated coastline, District 17 is larger and more disperse. The new 17th District combines areas from five previous districts: 37.1% of the 16th, 31.4% of the 12th, 15.8% of the 14th, 12.9% of the 13th, and 2.8% of the 9th district. Together, the counties have a population of 696,344, just slightly below the total population.
Like most of Florida, the district has seen an increase in ethnic diversity since 2000. In ten years, the District has changed from 78.9% Caucasian, 7.2% African American, and 11.98% Hispanic to 70.8% Caucasian, 9.1% African American, and 16.9% Hispanic. An estimated 552,440 individuals are of voting age. Of these, approximately 165,902 are Registered Republicans while 2250,158 are registered Democrats. Only 394,763 voters are registered in the county.
Eighteenth District
Florida’s 18th Congressional district is located on the Eastern Border of the state and encompasses the counties of Martin, St. Lucile, and the northern portion of Palm Beach. The new district bears no resemblance to its predecessor. Instead, it is a combination of the old 16th, 19th, 22nd, and 23rd. Overall, the district has a population of 696,344, just one less than the ideal population. Between 2000 and 2010, the areas held by the 18th District grew at an average of 30.3%, far higher than the state’s average. The District has a population of 696,344, one less than the ideal.
Demographically, the 18th District is composed predominantly of Caucasians, although I it has become slightly more diverse. The district has seen significant increases in the Hispanic and African American populations. Between 2000 and 2010, the district went from being
81.8% Caucasian, 8.7% African American and 7.2% Hispanic to 70.6% Caucasian, 12.4% African American, and 13.5% Hispanic. These demographic changes were far more significant than Florida as a whole, which saw more modest gains for minority population groups.
The Voting Age population of the 18th district is 556,783. Of these, 178,403 are registered Republicans and 167,787 are registered Democrats. Only 462940 of the Districts residents are registered to vote.
Nineteenth District
The new 19th, now located on the south western coast, is composed predominantly of territory previously held by the 14th, as well as a small amount held by the old 25th. These include many of Florida’s most famous areas, including Cape Coral, Fort Myers and Bonita Springs. The District holds two districts, Collier and Lee, with Lee being the main one. Of the district’s population of 696,345, 88.64% are drawn from Lee county. District 19 has a population which matches the state’s ideal perfectly. In the past decade, real encompassed by the 19th district has seen a population change of 33.5%, far faster than the national average.
In addition, the district has seen a significant demographic shift. In 2000, the district was 81.7% White, 10.2% Hispanic, and 6.2% African American. Currently, the district is 77.1% Caucasian, 6% African American and 14.8% Hispanic. Even so, the voting age population of the district is still dominated by the large Caucasian population. The district also leans Republican. Of the 426,290 eligible voters, 201, 125 have registered as Republicans. By comparison, 117, 004 are Democrats and 94,984 have not declared a political affiliation.
Twentieth District
The 20th District draws from territories previously held by the 16th, 19th, 20th, 22th, and 23rd district. The district is located near the center of Florida, and encompasses territory adjacent to the Palm Beach area. Besides Palm Beach, the district holds two other counties: Broward and Hendry. The district is not completely contiguous and includes a small, narrow stretch of land bypassing Lake Worth. It also has odd boundaries in the south, jaggedly stretching up towards only a small county of Deerfield and Pompad Beach. Despite its eccentric boundaries, the twentieth district has a population which matches the countries ideal at 696,345. Areas held by the 20th district experienced only moderate growth in the past decade, growing by only 3.4%.
Demographically, the 20th district has changed significantly from its predecessor. The largest ethnic group within the territory, non-Hispanic African Americans, comprises 52.6% of the total district population, a stark increase from 46.7% a year earlier. Other minority groups also saw demographic increases; The Hispanic population underwent explosive growth from 17.7% from just 12.6% the year before. The white population, which stood at 36.7% in 2000 dropped to 29.5% in 2010. Of the district’s 696,345 citizens, 525,932 are of voting age. The district is one of the mostly strongly democratic in the entire state, with an estimated 251,744 registered Democrats and 53,292 registered Republicans.
Twenty-First District
The 21st district of Florida lies on the eastern edge of the state, immediately adjacent to Florida’s most populous beaches. The new district scarcely resembles its predecessor, instead drawing heavily from the old 19th and 22nd, with additional territories previously home to the 16th and 23rd. The 21st District holds only two counties: Broward and Palm Beach. These two areas saw significant growth in the past decade, with population rising by 19.5%. Because of the redistricting process however, the 21st district has a population which matches the ideal at 696,345.
Demographically, the Caucasian population holds the majority at 62.8%, followed distantly by Hispanics at 19.2%. Such numbers are starkly different from the old territories, where whites made up 78.1% and Hispanics composed only 12.1%. The third most populous group is the African American population of is 10.6%. Of the total population, an estimated 544, 654 are eligible to vote. Much like its predecessor, the 21st district is predominantly liberal. With only 450,462 registered voters, 47% have registered as Democrats and only 26% are Republicans.
Twenty-Second District
The 22nd district of Florida is located along the eastern Miami coast of the state, extending from Palm Beach County to Broward County. The 22nd is composed of 17.2% of Broward and 30.0% of Palm Beach.
The redrawn district’s new population is 696,345 people, while its population before redistricting was 694,259. This shift represents a population increase of just 0.3%. The voting age population of the newly drawn district is 579,627, while it was 568,645 in the previous district – an increase of 1.9%. Thus, the VAP has increased from 81.9% to 83.2% of the total population.
The newly drawn district has 468,369 registered voters, which comprises 80.8% of the district’s VAP. 32.3% of the district’s registered voters are Republicans, 40.8% are Democrats, and 23.9% are registered with no party affiliation. In the former 22nd district, as of the 2010 elections, the district had 461,913 registered voters. Thus, while the overall population of the district increased by just 0.3%, the number of registered voters increased by 1.4%. Prior to redistricting, the partisan voter breakdown of the 22nd was quite balanced between the two major parties; the new district indicates a clear tilt towards Democrats, but in the previous district, 37.4% of voters were Republicans and 37.5% were Democrats, with 21.4% unaffiliated.
The new 22nd district has a population, based on 2010 census data, that is 65.7% white; 11.4% black; and 18.9% Hispanic. Prior to redistricting, as counted in 2002, the demographic makeup of District 22 was 82.3% white; 4.2% black; and 10.4% Hispanic. This represents a very significant shift in the district’s demographics: a 20.2% decrease in the white portion of the population, a 171.4% increase in the black portion of the population, and an 81.7% increase in the Hispanic portion of the population. The new district is far more racially diverse than the old one.
Twenty-Third District
Florida’s District 23 is located along the southeastern coast of the state, along the Miami Beach area. It includes 30.10% of Broward County and 6.82% of Miami-Dade County. The 2012 23rd District, due to renumbering in the redistricting, is largely a restructured version of the previous 20th District. The new District 23 is composed of 65.59% of the former 20th, 11.84% of the former 18th, 13.90% of the 17th, and portions smaller than 5% of the former 21st, 22nd, and 23rd districts. Prior to redistricting, the borders of the 20th district were not uniform; the district contained multiple finger-like branches winding around to certain cities while avoiding others. The new 23rd has eliminated such “fingers,” which previously brought in parts of Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Plantation, and other cities north of Interstate 595. Now, other than a small triangular area at the northwest edge of the district, the new 23rd is located entirely to the south of the highway, and encompasses a uniformly partitioned section of the land south of the highway, where there were previously some gaps. The district’s southern branch was also shifted slightly to the east, to encompass more completely the peninsula-like strip of Miami Beach, part of which was excluded before.
The population of District 23 is the ideal size, based on 2010 census data, of 696,345, while the previous 20th district had a population of 691,727. The district increased in size by 0.7% due to redistricting.
As of the 2010 general elections, the 20th district had 405,318 registered voters, representing 73.7% of a voting age population (VAP) of 549,825 people. Of these voters, 25.9% were registered Republican, 51.1% Democrat, and 21.2% unaffiliated. After redistricting, the VAP in the 23rd district grew to 552,468, an increase of 0.5% — this shows a slightly smaller increase in the VAP than in the overall population. The 23rd, as of the 2012 elections, has 416,215 registered voters, or 75.3% of its VAP. By party registration, the new 23rd is 25.5% Republican, 47.3% Democrat, and 25.4% unaffiliated. This demonstrates a noticeable drop in the portion of Democrats in the district, matched by a similarly sized increase in unaffiliated voters. The Republican share of the district remained essentially the same.
The demography of the new 23rd district is 47.5% white, 10.6% black, and 35.9% Hispanic. By comparison, after the 2002 redistricting cycle, the 20th district was 66.9% white, 8.6% black, and 20.1% Hispanic. This indicates nearly a 30% decrease in the white percentage of the population, along with a 78.6% increase in the Hispanic percentage and a 23.2% increase in the black percentage.
Twenty-Fourth District
Florida’s 24th congressional district, after 2012 redistricting, closely resembles the previous 17th district due to renumbering of districts. District 24 is located on Florida’s southeastern coast around the North Miami area. 81.37% of the 24th district is in Miami-Dade County, while the other 18.63% is in Broward County to the north. In the newly drawn 24th district, the eastern border of the district extends slightly further than it previously did, while the northwest corner of the district now extends further west, ending at the highway.
As of 2010, district 17 had a population of 655,160 people, making it 41,185 people smaller than the ideal district size of 696,345 based on 2010 census data. This means that redistricting resulted in the new 24th district growing by 6.29% compared to the last district.
District 17 had 343,632 registered voters during the 2010 elections, which is 70.1% of the district’s voting age population (VAP) of 490,232. Voter registration in 2010 was 10.35% Republican, 71.5% Democrat, and 17.13% unaffiliated. In the 2012 primary elections, the new 24th district’s voter registration was 10.88% Republican, 68.37% Democrat, and 19.69% unaffiliated. This represents a 3.13-percentage point decrease in the district’s portion of Democrats accompanied by a 2.56-percentage point increase in unaffiliated voters, while the Republican share of the district remained very nearly the same as before. The new 24th has a VAP of 525,767 people, of which 70.3% – a percentage similar to the previous 70.1% – are registered to vote.
The 24th’s population in terms of demographics is 11.5% white, 54.3% black, and 28.4% Hispanic. Prior to redistricting, the 17th district was 18.4% white, 57.9% black, and 19.0% Hispanic. The white percentage of the population shrank to 62.4% of what it was before, while the black percentage of the population decreased by 6.2% and the Hispanic percentage grew by 49.5%.
Twenty-Fifth District
Geographically, Florida’s 25th district is one of the largest in the state, stretching from the Western edge of Collier County to the eastern edge of Browrad County. The large area of District 25 was created with the areas occupied by districts 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, and 25. Of these, the main contributor was the 21st; the 25th holds approximately 55% of the old 21st. These territories fit into four distinct counties, Broward, Coller, Hendry, and Miami-Dade. These areas saw growth far faster than the State’s average, and grew 25% between 2000 and 2010. The total population of the district stands at 696,344, one less than the ideal.
Of the total residents in the district, Hispanics are by far the majority. They comprise 68.4% of the total population, followed distantly by Caucasians at 21.1%. African Americans are only 6.4% of the total population. Most Hispanics in the district, like that of Florida, are of Cuban Descent. The demographics are fairly similar to ethnic breakdowns in 2000, where Hispanics composed 66.8% of the total population and whites composed 24.2%. Despite its status as a minority-majority district, the 25th leans slightly conservative. Of its voting age population of 535, 871, 129,172 are registered Republicans. 104, 489 are registered Democrats and 87274 have not declared a political affiliation.
Twenty-Sixth District
The 26th district is located on the southernmost portion of Florida, encompassing various islands stretching off the state’s coastline. The district is a combination of the old 18th, 21st, and 25th districts. These territories combine to form just two counties, Miami Dade and Monroe. Miami-Dade is the main county within the 25th, and houses 623,255 of the district’s 696,345 total residents. The district also houses Florida City, a prominent agricultural area. Compared to the rest of the state, the 26th district experienced only modest growth at 11.6% over the past 10 years.
The 26th district, like most of southern Florida, has a high Hispanic population. Hispanics comprise 67.2% of the total population, while Whites comprise only 19.7%. Despite relatively modest population growth, the 26th district saw dramatic demographic changes, becoming even more Hispanic dominated between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the Hispanic population was only 58.1% while the White population was only 28.9% Around 541,358 residents within the 26th are eligible to vote, although only 378,402 have registered to vote. Registered voters are split fairly evenly between the two main political parties, with 135,885 registered as Republicans and 132, 775 registered as Democrats.
Twenty-Seventh District
The 27th District is located on the southeastern portion of the state, occupying a far smaller area than the 26th. The District draws heavily upon the old 18th and 21st, and also includes small parts of the old 17th and 25th. The district encompasses only a small part of Miami Dade county, from which it draws its 696,345 residents. The district holds portions of South Miami and Miami, Florida, explaining its high population density.
Demographically, the district holds only 17.9% Caucasians, with the vast majority of citizens being of Hispanic descent. The Hispanic population makes up approximately 72.8% of the district, with whites making up just 17.9%. Ten years ago, areas held by the district were only 69.2% Hispanic. Within the 27th district, an estimated 550,152 individuals are eligible to vote. Of these, only 337,613 have registered. Both the Republican and Democratic parties seem to have equal registration, at 125,510 and 119,419 respectively.