TENNESSEE, USA — The Tennessee General Assembly will meet in Nashville Tuesday for the start of this year’s legislative session and redistricting is on the agenda.
Lawmakers have to re-draw what districts people will vote in and that can determine political power in the state.
This is a process that happens every 10 years for the state Senate, state House, and U.S. Congressional districts.
The newly drawn maps could be unveiled later this week.
According to the Associated Press, House Republicans plan to split the fifth district, which is Nashville and Davidson County, into multiple congressional districts.
Democrat U.S. Representative Jim Cooper has held that seat since 2003. He is one of just two Democrats in Tennessee’s U.S. House delegation. There are seven Republicans.
Speaker Cameron Sexton told AP, the one congressional seat could be broken up into two or three seats.
Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, lawmakers are working on splitting the districts, with the proposed new map expected to be unveiled later this week.
Both the House and Senate are expected to convene Tuesday at noon.