Seven states would likely gain congressional seats after the 2000 Census, according to a Commerce Department study released last week, with another seven losing seats.
Those findings are based on a Census Bureau estimate of the population for each state as of July 1, 1998, as opposed to a different study released two years ago that projected anticipated growth rates for the states through 2000. Under these new estimates, Arizona and Texas appear poised to gain two new congressional seats while California, Florida, Georgia, Montana and Nevada would each pick up one. The newer study shows New York and Pennsylvania would be the biggest losers, dropping two seats each, while Connecticut, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin would lose one each.
These estimates differ from the 1996 projections in that Arizona would have gained only one instead of two seats and Pennsylvania would lose one each rather than two seats. It is important to note that these are just estimates, subject to change.
Winners
Losers
Arizona
+2
New York
-2
Texas
+2
Pennsylvania
-2
California
+1
Connecticut
-1
Florida
+1
Mississippi
-1
Georgia
+1
Ohio
-1
Montana
+1
Oklahoma
-1
Nevada
+1
Wisconsin
-1
Sources: Election Data Services, Polidata
While these projections generally reflect an overall trend of the U.S. population moving
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