End Prison Gerrymandering Act

Legislative bill overview

HR 7375 prohibits counting incarcerated individuals as residents of the prison location for purposes of legislative redistricting, instead requiring they be counted at their pre-incarceration addresses. The bill addresses "prison gerrymandering"—the practice of using prison populations to artificially inflate representation in districts where prisons are located. This affects how congressional and state legislative districts are drawn following each decennial census.

Why is this important

Prison gerrymandering concentrates political power in rural areas where large prisons are located, often benefiting one political party while diluting voting power in urban communities where incarcerated people originated. Since incarcerated individuals cannot vote, counting them as district residents gives non-incarcerated residents in those districts disproportionate influence. This practice has measurable effects on representation in states with significant prison populations.

Potential points of contention

• Census implementation complexity: The U.S. Census Bureau would need to track incarcerated individuals' pre-incarceration addresses, requiring new data collection procedures and potential privacy concerns
• State redistricting authority: Some argue this federally mandates how states conduct redistricting, potentially infringing on traditional state control of electoral districts
• Rural district representation: Representatives from rural areas with major prisons may argue the change unfairly reduces their districts' populations and political influence, affecting federal funding allocations tied to population