Louisiana residents trying to rework the state's system for drawing political maps are planning a summit they hope will drive changes.
A grassroots, bipartisan group called Fair Districts Louisiana is working with Louisiana State University's Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs on the all-day summit, set for Jan. 19.
The event aims to start talks about revamping Louisiana's method for divvying up electoral districts ahead of the redistricting cycle tied to the 2020 Census.
Every decade after the release of new Census data, states redraw political maps to address population shifts. In Louisiana, like in most other states, the legislature determines the maps for congressional and state legislative seats.
Maps have provoked lawsuits in several states, amid growing criticism that political parties are using legislative control to give themselves unfair advantages.