A majority-minority district is an

electoral district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...

, such as a

United States congressional district Congressional districts in the United States are electoral divisions for the purpose of electing members of the United States House of Representatives. The number of voting seats within the House of Representatives is currently set at 435, wi ...

, in which the majority of the constituents in the

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

are racial or ethnic minorities (as opposed to

Non-Hispanic whites Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

in the U.S.). Race is collected through the decennial

United States census The United States census (plural censuses or census) is a census that is legally mandated by the Constitution of the United States. It takes place every ten years. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 United States ce ...

. Majority-minority districts may be created to avoid or remedy violations of the

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights move ...

's prohibitions on drawing redistricting plans that diminish the ability of a racial or language minority to elect its candidates of choice. In some instances, majority-minority districts may result from affirmative racial gerrymandering. The value of drawing district lines to create majority-minority districts is a matter of dispute both within and outside of minority communities. Some view majority-minority districts as a way to dilute the

voting Voting is the process of choosing officials or policies by casting a ballot, a document used by people to formally express their preferences. Republics and representative democracies are governments where the population chooses representative ...

power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...

of minorities and analogous to

racial segregation Racial segregation is the separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Segregation can involve the spatial separation of the races, and mandatory use of different institutions, ...

; others favor majority-minority districts as ways to effectively ensure the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process whereby a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative d ...

of minorities to legislative bodies, including the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

. Majority-minority districts have been the subject of

legal case Legal proceeding is an activity that seeks to invoke the power of a tribunal in order to enforce a law. Although the term may be defined more broadly or more narrowly as circumstances require, it has been noted that " e term ''legal proceedings'' ...

s examining the

constitutionality In constitutional law, constitutionality is said to be the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution; "Webster On Line" the status of a law, a procedure, or an act's accordance with the laws or set forth in the applic ...

of such districts, including ''

Shaw v. Reno ''Shaw v. Reno'', 509 U.S. 630 (1993), was a List of landmark court decisions in the United States, landmark United States Supreme Court case in the area of redistricting and Gerrymandering in the United States#Racial gerrymandering, racial gerr ...

'' (1993), ''

Miller v. Johnson ''Miller v. Johnson'', 515 U.S. 900 (1995), was a United States Supreme Court case concerning "affirmative gerrymandering/racial gerrymandering", where racial minority-majority electoral districts are created during redistricting to increase mino ...

'' (1995), and '' Bush v. Vera'' (1996).

List of districts

African-American

Majority

Population data are from 2021

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

and 2020 census population estimates. Districts in the table below reflect the 118th Congress. Currently, there are 26 congressional districts where African Americans make up a majority of constituents, mostly in the

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

. Every district is represented by Democrats. There are two African American majority congressional districts that are represented by someone who is not African American: Steve Cohen from Tennessee's 9th and Shri Thanedar from Michigan's 13th.

Plurality

Illinois's 7th congressional district The 7th congressional district of Illinois covers parts of Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, as of the 2023 redistricting that followed the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. All or parts of Broadview, Illinois, Broadview, Bellwood, Illino ...

Missouri's 1st congressional district Missouri's 1st congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state. It includes all of St. Louis, St. Louis City and much of northern St Louis County, Missouri, St. Louis County, including the cities of Maryland Heights, Missouri, Mar ...

New York's 5th congressional district New York's 5th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives, represented by United States Democratic Party, Democrat Gregory Meeks. The district is located in Queens. A plurality of the distr ...

North Carolina's 1st congressional district North Carolina's 1st congressional district is located in the northeastern part of the state. It consists of many Black Belt in the American South, Black Belt counties that border Virginia and it extends southward into several counties of the In ...

* Virginia's 3rd congressional district *

Texas's 30th congressional district Texas's 30th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives covers much of the city of Dallas and other parts of Dallas County, Texas, Dallas and Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant counties (primarily black- and Hispanic-majo ...

Asian and Pacific Islander

Currently, Asian-Americans make up the majority of constituents in two districts. California's 17th represented by

Indian-American Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestry originates wholly or partly from India. The terms Asian Indian and East Indian are used to avoid confusion with Native Americans in the United States, who are also referred to as "Indians" or "Am ...

Ro Khanna Rohit Khanna (born September 13, 1976) is an American politician and lawyer serving as the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative from California's 17th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (Un ...

and Hawaii's 1st represented by non-Asian

Ed Case Edward Espenett Case (born September 27, 1952) is an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district since 2019, which covers the urban core o ...

. Both are Democrats.

Hispanic and Latino

Majority

As of the 118th congress, there are 37 majority-Hispanic or Latino congressional districts.

Plurality

California's 9th congressional district California's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Josh Harder, a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023. Prior to redistricting by the Cali ...

California's 16th congressional district California's 16th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It includes portions of Santa Clara County, California, Santa Clara and San Mateo County, California, San Mateo counties, extending from the s ...

California's 18th congressional district California's 18th congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by . Since the 2022 election, the district is lan ...

California's 19th congressional district California's 19th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California, currently represented by . Following redistricting in 2021, the district includes most of the wealthier, white portions of the Central Coast, ...

* California's 22nd congressional district * California's 36th congressional district * California's 37th congressional district * California's 39th congressional district * California's 43rd congressional district *

California's 47th congressional district California's 47th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Following the 2020 United States redistricting cycle, 2020 redistricting cycle, the district shifted to Orange County, California, Orange Co ...

* Illinois's 3rd congressional district *

Nevada's 1st congressional district Nevada's 1st congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in the U.S. state of Nevada. The district covers a portion of Clark County, Nevada, Clark County east of Interstate 15 in Nevada, Int ...

New Mexico's 1st congressional district New Mexico's 1st congressional district of the United States House of Representatives serves the central area of New Mexico, including most of Bernalillo County, all of Torrance County, and parts of Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Valencia counties ...

* New Mexico's 3rd congressional district *

New York's 7th congressional district New York's 7th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in New York City. It includes parts of Brooklyn and Queens. Democrat Nydia Velázquez represents the district in Congress. Like ...

* New York's 13th congressional district *

New York's 14th congressional district New York's 14th congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district for the United States House of Representatives located in New York City, represented by United States Democratic Party, Democrat A ...

* Texas's 9th congressional district * Texas's 18th congressional district

White plurality (majority-minority)

California's 6th congressional district California's 6th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It is represented by Democratic Party (United States), Democrat Ami Bera. Currently, the 6th district is entirely in Sacramento County, Calif ...

California's 8th congressional district California's 8th congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district in the U.S. state of California. As of 2023, Democratic Party (United States), Democrat John Garamendi represents the district. Cu ...

California's 10th congressional district California's 10th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Currently, the 10th district encompasses parts of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. It is currently represented by Democratic Party (United ...

California's 11th congressional district California's 11th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California represented by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Before redistricting, the 11th district consisted of most of Contra Costa County, Ca ...

California's 12th congressional district California's 12th congressional district is a congressional district in northern California. Lateefah Simon, a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, has represented the district since January 2025. The district was represented previously b ...

California's 13th congressional district California's 13th congressional district is a California's congressional districts, congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Adam Gray, a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, has represented this district since January 20 ...

California's 14th congressional district California's 14th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. Eric Swalwell, a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, has represented the district since January 2023. As of the 2022 United States Hou ...

* California's 15th congressional district * California's 23rd congressional district *

California's 25th congressional district California's 25th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is currently represented by . The district includes all of Imperial County, California, Imperial County and parts of Riverside C ...

* California's 26th congressional district * California's 42nd congressional district * Florida's 9th congressional district * Florida's 10th congressional district * Florida's 14th congressional district * Florida's 23rd congressional district *

Georgia's 7th congressional district Georgia's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is currently represented by Republican Rich McCormick. The district includes portions of the north Atlanta metropolitan area, including the c ...

Hawaii's 2nd congressional district Hawaii's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is represented by Jill Tokuda, who succeeded Kai Kahele after the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii, 2022 election. The ...

Maryland's 5th congressional district Maryland's 5th congressional district comprises all of Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties (a region known as Southern Maryland), as well as portions of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties. The district is currently represented ...

* Maryland’s 8th congressional district * Massachusetts's 7th congressional district *

Nevada's 4th congressional district Nevada's 4th congressional district is a List of United States congressional districts, congressional district that was created as a result of the 2010 United States census. Located in the central portion of the state, it includes most of northe ...

New Jersey's 6th congressional district New Jersey's 6th congressional district is represented by Democratic Party (United States), Democrat Frank Pallone, who has served the district in Congress since 1993. The district includes the northern and eastern portions of Middlesex County, ...

New Jersey's 9th congressional district New Jersey's 9th congressional district is an urban congressional district in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and is currently represented in Congress by United States Democratic Party, Democrat Nellie Pou following the death of Bill Pascrell in 2 ...

* New Jersey's 12th congressional district *

New York's 16th congressional district New York's 16th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives represented by George Latimer (New York politician), George Latimer. The 16th district includes a small portion of the northern B ...

* North Carolina's 12th congressional district * Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district * Texas's 2nd congressional district * Texas's 5th congressional district *

Texas's 7th congressional district Texas's 7th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives comprises a small area of southwestern Houston and Harris County, along with a northern portion of suburban Fort Bend County. As of the 2000 census, the 7th dist ...

Texas's 22nd congressional district Texas's 22nd congressional district of the United States House of Representatives covers a largely suburban southwestern portion of the metropolitan area. The district includes most of Fort Bend County, including most of the cities of Sugar ...

* Texas's 32nd congressional district * Virginia's 11th congressional district * Washington's 9th congressional district * Wisconsin's 4th congressional district

References

External links

Use of Racial Data in Redistricting
- Background Paper Prepared for the

Minnesota Legislature The Minnesota Legislature is the bicameral legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota consisting of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators are elected from 67 single-member districts. In order to account for decenn ...

Subcommittee on Geographic Information Systems
Majority-Minority Voting Districts and Their Role in Politics: Their Advantages, Their Drawbacks, and the Current LawVoting wrongs - racial reapportionmentThe Electoral Competitiveness of Majority-Minority DistrictsRedrawing Lines of Power: Redistricting 2011
Making Contact, produced by the National Radio Project, April 12, 2011 {{African-American politics United States congressional districts

List of districts

African-American

Majority

Plurality

Asian and Pacific Islander

Hispanic and Latino

Majority

Plurality

White plurality (majority-minority)

See also

References

External links