What is the purpose of redistricting in the context of legislative representation?

The purpose of redistricting is fundamentally to accommodate population shifts and ensure equal representation. This process occurs every ten years following the census when demographic changes are taken into account. As populations grow or shrink in different areas, legislative districts are redrawn to reflect these changes, ensuring that each representative speaks for approximately the same number of constituents. This is vital for maintaining the principle of "one person, one vote," which asserts that all votes should carry equal weight in a representative democracy.

Ensuring equal representation helps to prevent situations where some areas are overrepresented while others are underrepresented due to population changes, thus fostering a more equitable electoral system. By appropriately adjusting district boundaries, redistricting seeks to uphold fair representation in legislative bodies, which is crucial for a functioning democracy.