How do I use Texas DistrictViewer to compare current and proposed legislative maps?
Executive summary
Texas’ DistrictViewer is the official, interactive public portal for visualizing and comparing current and proposed congressional, state house, state senate, and State Board of Education district plans; it displays map geometries, demographic and election reports, and published proposals from the legislature and the public [1] [2] [3]. To compare maps effectively, use the site’s toolbar and drop‑down menus to select the “current” plan and one or more proposed plans, view side‑by‑side or overlay layers, inspect linked demographic/election reports, and be mindful of legal context—courts and legislatures can change which plans are operative or enjoined, and not every court-ordered or overlapping judicial district appears in DistrictViewer [4] [5] [6].
1. Open the official DistrictViewer hub and orient to what’s available
Begin at the official DistrictViewer landing page (dvr.capitol.texas.gov), which is described by the state as the authoritative place to view redistricting proposals for Texas, and note that the broader Redistricting website explains the legal and procedural context for any plan shown there [1] [5]. The DistrictViewer Guide explains that the application provides detailed, interactive maps for current and proposed congressional, state house, state senate, and SBOE districts and that it links to demographic and voter statistics for each proposal, so treating the Guide as the operating manual will speed navigation [2].
2. Select the district type and the “current” baseline map
Use the top navigation to choose the chamber you want—Congress, State Senate, State House, or SBOE—because DistrictViewer organizes layers by district type; the site explicitly hosts both current enacted plans and proposed plans under each category [2] [1]. Choose the “Current” or enacted plan first to establish a baseline—Texas’ current enacted plans from the 87th Legislature (effective Jan 2023) are among those listed on the Redistricting site, and DistrictViewer will display their boundaries and associated reports [4].
3. Load one or more proposed plans and use overlay/compare tools
After setting the baseline, open the drop‑down or plan list to pick a proposed plan (for example, PLANC2308 or other PLANC/PLAN codes published when lawmakers file proposals); DistrictViewer publishes proposals filed by the legislature and public submissions so the exact plan codes appear in the interface [6] [3]. Use the site’s overlay, opacity, or side‑by‑side tools described in the Guide to visually compare shapes and boundary shifts—this reveals which counties, cities, or voting blocs move between districts and where compactness or contiguity changes occur [2].
4. Read the linked demographic and election reports for granular comparison
For each map shown, open the connected demographic and election reports available via DistrictViewer: the Guide and the Public Participation page emphasize that these reports provide population counts, racial/ethnic breakdowns, and historical election results that are essential to assessing partisan and minority impacts [2] [3]. Comparing those quantitative reports between the current and proposed maps shows not just where lines move, but how partisan lean and minority opportunity metrics change—a necessary step for substantive comparison beyond eye‑balling the map.
5. Export, cite plan codes, and note judicial or procedural limits
DistrictViewer pages include plan identifiers and often allow downloading map files or linked resources that can be saved for offline analysis; the Redistricting site and DistrictViewer Guide explain that public proposals and legislative plans are made available there for review and download [3] [2]. However, users must beware that some judicially ordered or overlapping district types (notably certain judicial districts) are not viewable in DistrictViewer and that court decisions or injunctions can render a published proposed plan unusable for elections—several recent Texas congressional proposals have been enjoined or litigated, so cross‑checking legal status outside DistrictViewer (court orders or news reports) is prudent [4] [7].
6. Read maps in political and procedural context, and seek alternative analyses
DistrictViewer provides the raw maps and data but not independent legal or partisan interpretation; outside analyses from news outlets, policy institutes, and courts have framed many Texas proposals as partisan efforts to alter seat counts—reporting from multiple outlets documents contention over maps intended to shift U.S. House seats and mid‑decade redraws that provoked walkouts and litigation—so juxtaposing DistrictViewer’s data with independent partisan‑impact studies and court filings provides fuller context [8] [9] [10]. DistrictViewer is the authoritative visual and data source for what was proposed and published, but readers should treat maps as inputs to a larger political and legal story rather than final judgments produced by the tool itself [5] [3].