Redistricting details available from state

AUGUSTA – Information about newly apportioned congressional and legislative districts in Maine is available online and by request from the Secretary of State’s Office.

Written boundary descriptions of Maine’s two congressional and 186 legislative districts may be found at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/eled/apport/apport.htm or by calling 624-7650.

To balance any shifts in population and ensure equality of representation, redistricting is done every 10 years, according to Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky.

A notable decline of population bases in northern and eastern Maine occurred in the last decade as more residents sought employment in central and southern areas of the state. The redistribution of population resulted in larger geographic Senate districts in northern Maine and a 2nd Congressional District with a more southerly boundary line that swallows up several northern Kennebec County communities, including Waterville and Winslow.

As a result of the apportionment, each district for the Maine House will have about 8,443 residents, each Senate district will have about 36,426 residents, and the two congressional districts will each have about 637,462 residents.