It also asked if they were Hispanic or non-Hispanic. That year, people could choose only one race along with one answer on Hispanic origin. This year, people could choose more than one race from among several categories. Altogether, about 126 possible answers to that question will be released. Once the census information is released in March, state legislators will be charged with drawing new boundary lines for local congressional members as well as themselves.
Federal law requires Congressional districts to be somewhat equal in population.
Districts must be contiguous. In West Virginia, districts do not split counties. As a result, all three Congressional districts in West Virginia will change. Capito s district, which stretches across the mid-section of the state from Mason County to the Eastern Panhandle, will surely get smaller. Districts represented by Rahall and Democrat Alan Mollohan will grow larger.