MAPPING AMERICA
One community at a time.
Organized by Drawing Democracy Coalition
in MA
The Drawing Democracy Coalition brings together the Commonwealth’s community organizations, civil rights lawyers, public policy advocates, data and mapping experts, and political scientists, with the shared goal of partnering with you to ensure that underrepresented communities have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice who best reflect their needs and interests.
This organization has partnered with Representable to allow people to draw communities of interest and share information about the interests and needs in those communities.
Making this information available encourages mapmakers to take these communities into account during redistricting, in order to avoid gerrymandering and the “packing and cracking” of marginalized groups.
In Massachusetts, maps are drawn by the state Legislature by ordinary statute, and are subject to the Governor's veto.
In addition to the federal requirements of one person, one vote and the Voting Rights Act, Massachusetts’ state constitution requires that state legislative districts:
In the redistricting process, your state doesn't yet require consideration of communities of interest (COIs), but citizens can still present their own COIs to the state Legislature to advocate for fair representation. A community of interest is a population that shares cultural, historical, demographic, or economic interests. Communities of interest do not necessarily share the same political viewpoints or support for certain candidates or political parties.