Texas
The U.S. Census Bureau counts incarcerated people where they are confined not where they are from. Using these counts to draw state and local legislative districts enhances the weight of a vote cast by people who live near prisons at the expense of everyone else in the state, or municipality.
Reports
- Federal Census policy harms Texas' democracy — but state lawmakers can fix it: Texas' redistricting data once again skewed after the 2020 Census; the state needs to take action to fix the issue for 2030
- Prison Gerrymandering Report 2021 by the Texas Civil Rights Project
Organizations in Texas
It’s impossible to include everyone who is working toward fair districting in Michigan, but if you are looking to get involved, these are some of the people and organizations you might want to contact:
More information
- Legislation: including model legislation, current bills, and archive of past legislative efforts
- Pathfinder: a guide to resources on prison gerrymandering
- Incarceration data: comprehensive data, research, and visualizations about mass incarceration in the state
Recommended Reading:
About the Prison Policy Initiative
Learn more about the organization behind the Prison Gerrymandering Project.
The Racial Geography of Mass Incarceration
The transfer of Black and Latino incarcerated people to communities very different than their own is a nationwide problem.
How to get elected without being a candidate first.
Iowa Public Radio explores how Anamosa Iowa ended prison gerrymandering.
The Census Bureau's Miscount: It's about representation, not funding
We explain that prison gerrymandering is bad for democracy but federal & state aid are not impacted.
Events
- February 25, 2026:
On February 25, 2026 at 1 p.m. EST, join the Prison Policy Initiative and guests James Kilgore and Mon Mohapatra to discuss ways to push back on “carceral humanist” reforms that don’t change the underlying dehumanization of the criminal legal system.
Register here
Not near you?
Invite us to your city, college or organization.