Public Mapping Project
The U.S. Constitution mandates that electoral district lines be redrawn following each decennial Census,
as we learn where we, the people, live.
“The drawing of electoral districts is among the least transparent processes in democratic governance. All
too often, redistricting authorities maintain their power by obstructing public participation. The resulting
districts embody the goals of politicians to the detriment of the representational interests of communities
and the public at large.
We seek to change this power balance by making it possible for the public to draw the boundaries of their
communities and to generate redistricting plans for their state and localities — through their web-browsers.
The Public Mapping Project is developing District Builder, an open-source software redistricting
application designed to give the public transparent, accessible, and easy-to-use online mapping tools.
This technological innovation will enable greater public participation where redistricting authorities solicit
public input. Where redistricting authorities are not responsive to the representational needs of the public,
plans drawn by the public may be used as a yardstick by which to compare a redistricting authority’s plan
against. And where the courts must step in when the regular redistricting process breaks down, judges will
have a greater menu of options to consider.”
