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Shifts in state population and political clout: The case of Ohio

November 08, 2016

Since 1964, Ohio voters have picked the presidential candidate that ultimately won the national election. This, along with Ohio’s 16 House seats and 18 electoral votes, has made it a political powerhouse. In this election, only California, Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Illinois have more electoral votes. But Ohio’s slow population growth relative to the nation for the past 50 years has had a downward impact on its political clout. In 1964, Ohio had 26 electoral votes and, more recently, it lost two House seats after the 2010 census. This piece suggests Ohio’s downward trend will continue after the 2020 census. To look at the impact of changes in state population on congressional representation/electoral votes, the author suggests using PSC’s apportionment calculator, developed by Lisa Neidert.

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