The federal constitution calls for reapportionment of congressional seats according to population from a decennial census (Section 2, Article I). Reapportionment is the allocation of a set number of districts among established units of government. The 435 congressional seats are reapportioned among the 50 states after each decennial census according to the method of equal proportions.
On April 26, 2021, the United States Census Bureau reported results of congressional reapportionment from the 2020 Census. According to these results, Texas will add two new congressional districts for a total of 38 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.
One of the primary requirements governing redistricting is that districts of a given type must have equal or nearly equal populations. Ideal district population is the population a district would have if all districts in a plan have equal populations, and it is determined by dividing the total state population by the number of districts in the plan. Along with the congressional apportionment results, the U.S. Census Bureau reported the total resident population of each state from the 2020 Census. The population of Texas increased by 3,999,944 or 15.9% since the 2010 Census for a total of 29,145,505. The detailed population data for small areas needed for redistricting are expected to be released by August 16, 2021, but the ideal district population for each plan type (state senate, state house, congressional, and SBOE) can be determined with the total state population.
| 2020 Texas: 29,145,505 |
2010 Texas: 25,145,561 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Districts | Ideal Population | Districts | Ideal Population | ||
| State Senate | 31 | 940,178 | 31 | 811,147 | |
| State House | 150 | 194,303 | 150 | 167,367 | |
| U.S. Congress | 38 | 766,987 | 36 | 698,488 | |
| SBOE | 15 | 1,943,034 | 15 | 1,676,371 | |