A.3. Redistricting Standards and Priorities

Congressional districts shall be drawn according to the following order of priority:

1. Equal Population. Districts shall be drawn to achieve equal population. No district may differ from the average district size by more than one hundred thousand (100,000) persons.

2. Communities of Interest. Districts shall preserve the integrity of communities of interest. A community of interest is defined as a population sharing significant social, cultural, economic, or historical characteristics. Districts may not be drawn to favor or disadvantage any political party or political group.

3. Geographic Compactness. Geographic compactness shall be measured by how closely a district’s shape maintains a uniform distance from its center to its outer boundary. Districts should resemble basic geometric forms, such as circles or squares, except where irregular shapes are necessary to preserve a community of interest, to meet population equality, or to respect State boundaries or geographic features.