Results of the 2020 United States Census regarding Congressional Apportionment have been finalized and published. Michigan joined six other states in losing a seat in the United States House of Representatives once the seats were apportioned to balance the 435 seats. The newly apportioned congressional seats will be realized in January 2023.
Michigan currently has 14 congressional seats but will go down to 13, as well as losing a vote in the electoral college, which decides presidential elections.
Getting Michigan residents to fill out the census during a pandemic was a major effort in 2020, with that congressional seat and electoral college votes seat on the line. Michigan came up just short of the needed population count, relative to other states, to keep the seat and the vote.
Michigan’s population grew by about 2% over the past decade, making it one of the slowest growing states in the nation. Utah, Idaho, and Texas saw the highest growth rates.
Michigan’s population is counted at just over 10 million people.
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said “The American public deserves a big thank you for its overwhelming response to the 2020 Census. Despite many challenges, our nation completed a census for the 24th time.”
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
