Georgia's population grows to 10.3 million (Atlanta: 2015, college, estimates)

[Airforceguy]

The census released their latest state population estimates today. According to the release the state's population as of July 1, 2016 is 10,310,371, an increase of 110,973 over the 2015 population of 10,199,398. This marks the the third straight year so far this decade that the state's annual increase has been over 100,000. Of course the majority of the growth was in Metro Atlanta, so I expect when the metro and county population estimates are released in the spring, it will show that Metro Atlanta grew by 85,000-90,000. Our regional rival North Carolina grew by 111,603 to increase their population to 10,146,788. Percentage wise, Georgia failed to crack the top 10 list, it was mostly dominated by western states.
Utah is Nation’s Fastest-Growing State, Census Bureau Reports

[Atlwarrior]

Wow this will make Georgia extremely important for the next election.

[evannole]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Wow this will make Georgia extremely important for the next election.

No more so than today... The next reapportionment won't take place until after the 2020 Census, and won't have any electoral impact until the 2022 midterms.

If demographic make-up continues to change as expected, then maybe we could end up seeing somewhat different results in 2020 than we did this year, but Georgia's electoral weight in the 2020 election will be no different than it was this year.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by evannole

No more so than today... The next reapportionment won't take place until after the 2020 Census, and won't have any electoral impact until the 2022 midterms.

If demographic make-up continues to change as expected, then maybe we could end up seeing somewhat different results in 2020 than we did this year, but Georgia's electoral weight in the 2020 election will be no different than it was this year.

We might not even gain a seat after 2020.

Daily chart: Predicting the distribution of America

[arjay57]

Will Georgia see any redistricting within the state?

As it stands we are rock solid in the red state column

Trump rolls up unanimous victory in Georgia

[evannole]

Originally Posted by Gulch

We might not even gain a seat after 2020.

Daily chart: Predicting the distribution of America

Good find; about what I would have expected, but nice to see it quantified. Thanks!

[primaltech]

Yeah, but whether or not we gain a representative/elector, we'll still be climbing in the national 'power ranks' just by not losing one.

There are only 7 states more populated (and therefore important) than us, and 3 of them (Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio) are only a little bit more populated, especially Ohio. All 3 of those states along with Michigan and NY are all projected to lose a representative/elector, come the next census. That makes us more prominent within the top 10 states, only 1 vote behind Ohio.

Pretty soon, Georgia will likely pass Ohio in population. Ohio's growth has been negligible, while Georgia grew over a half a million in half a decade.

#6 Pennsylvania's growth has also been negligible in a half decade, and #5 Illinois has decreased in population.

Meaning, unless patterns change, Georgia at some point will likely be the #5 most populous state, behind only California, Texas, Florida, New York.

In the "Top 5" of states will be a pretty good place to be.

[Atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Yeah, but whether or not we gain a representative/elector, we'll still be climbing in the national 'power ranks' just by not losing one.

There are only 7 states more populated (and therefore important) than us, and 3 of them (Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio) are only a little bit more populated, especially Ohio. All 3 of those states along with Michigan and NY are all projected to lose a representative/elector, come the next census. That makes us more prominent within the top 10 states, only 1 vote behind Ohio.

Pretty soon, Georgia will likely pass Ohio in population. Ohio's growth has been negligible, while Georgia grew over a half a million in half a decade.

#6 Pennsylvania's growth has also been negligible in a half decade, and #5 Illinois has decreased in population.

Meaning, unless patterns change, Georgia at some point will likely be the #5 most populous state, behind only California, Texas, Florida, New York.

In the "Top 5" of states will be a pretty good place to be.

Thats why I said Georgia will be extremely important in the next election cycle.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Will Georgia see any redistricting within the state?

As it stands we are rock solid in the red state column

Trump rolls up unanimous victory in Georgia

That's a good question.

Georgia most likely will see redistricting within the state as is routine after each decadal U.S. census.

But that routine decadal redistricting likely may not be of much help to Georgia Democrats at the state legislative and congressional levels if the governor's office and state legislature continued to be controlled by Republicans at the time of the next U.S. Census in 2020.

Right now, in Georgia as in many states, the decadal drawing/redrawing of state legislative and congressional districts is controlled by the political party that controls state government....Which in Georgia's case, the Republican Party currently has very-near/virtual supermajority control of state government.

Though with the continued explosive growth of the state's population of minority, moderate and progressive voters, Georgia Democrats could potentially start to experience meaningful gains at the state legislative and congressional levels through the decade of the 2020's even with legislative and congressional districts continuing to be drawn to the advantage of Republicans.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

Thats why I said Georgia will be extremely important in the next election cycle.

Nothing will change though as far as the 2020 presidential cycle, as far as electoral votes. Changes based on the 2020 census will take effect in 2022 mid-terms and 2024 presidential election cycle.

But, we will still be more important in 2020, because of being a battleground state because of demographic change.