“A Citizen’s Guide to Redistricting” (2010) by the Brennan Center for Justice is an excellent course for beginners as well as a refresher for experts.  It includes state-specific redistricting information.

“The Impact of Redistricting in Your Community” provides easy-to-understand information about the importance of public input in the redistricting process, with a special emphasis on why the involvement of the minority community is so critical.  Published by the NAACP, the Asian American Justice Center and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Redistricting 101 (Brennan Center) has links to a variety of educational resources on redistricting including a power point and a 90 minute curriculum.  It also has links to recent news articles and editorials.

EndGerrymandering.org – An overview website for redistricting and Gerrymandering the movie (see below)

Ballotpedia – Overview of Redistricting in Pennsylvania.

The Gerrymandering Index – A 2006 White Paper on district compactness by GIS mapping group Avencia (then Azavea).

Reform Redistricting Now – Common Cause’s informational website on redistricting

The Impact of Redistricting in Your Community, from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, provides easy-to-understand information about the importance of public input in the redistricting process, with a special emphasis on why the involvement of the minority community is so critical.  Published in conjunction with the Asian American Justice Center and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Sample Redistricting Transparency Legislation, available here from the Campaign Legal Center, provides useful guidance and sample language for Leagues interested in advocating for more open redistricting processes in their states.

Media

“Gerrymandering” is a movie that is garnering a great deal of attention among activists, lawmakers, and citizens. To arrange a screening contact Jessica Prosner.

(New) A Status Report on Congressional Redistricting – a video of a July 18 expert panel event at the Brookings Institution.  ”Panelists focused on evidence of partisan or bipartisan gerrymandering, the outcome of transparency and public mapping initiatives, and minority redistricting.”

Interactive

(New) FixPhillyDistricts.com – Use Azavea’s online interactive tool to draw your own version of Philadelphia’s city council districts.  Winners will be chosen and their maps presented to city council.

(New) Redistricting CA – An overview guide to the redistricting process in California.

(New) Redraw CA – Similar to FixPhillyDistricts, Redraw CA allow users to draw new lines for the state’s upcoming reapportionment.

The Public Mapping Project,  a site sponsored by George Mason University, provides a range of resources including up-to-date summaries of the redistricting landscape in key states as well as information about the District Builder software, now available in prototype form to nonprofits and the media.

The Redistricting Game is a fun and informative simulation which teaches how redistricting works.

Redistricting the Nation has a district search function.  By entering your street address you can view your congressional, legislative in some local government districts ad their associated “compactness scores.”  A related page focuses on Philadelphia City Council redistricting.

Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census is an interactive graphic from the New York Times that shows changes in population since 2000.

How to Draw Redistricting Plans that will Stand up in Court, a comprehensive “how-to” planning tool developed by Peter S. Wattson, Minnesota Senate Staff Counsel, will help legislators and advocates alike as they begin to navigate the complexities of Census data in the coming weeks.

Articles

“Lots at stake for GOP in Pennsylvania redistricting” by Aaron Blake.  The Washington Post. February 7, 2011.  This is one of a series of articles by The Washington Post called “Mapping the Future.”

“How to Draw Redistricting Plans That Will Stand Up in Court” by Peter S. Wattson, Senate Counsel, State of Minnesota, October 21, 2010.  This paper is a review of major federal cases that govern how legislative and congressional districts are drawn.

“The Great Election Grab” by Jeffrey Toobin, The New Yorker, December 8, 2003,  as published in advance of the U.S. Supreme Court hearing on Veith v. Jubelier, which contested the 2001 Pennsylvania congressional map.

“Legal Intelligencer/Will Courts Be the Wild Card in PA Redistricting Poker” - Pittsburgh Post Gazette, January 3, 2011.  A commentary on the possible role of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in redistricting.

“Redistricting Reform” by Thomas  E. Mann, The National Voter,  June 2005.  Provides a good overview of the impact of gerrymandering on the political process.

Data

U.S. Census Bureau Reapportionment Data