Politics

Latest Census Data Shows Florida Gets A New Congressional Seat

WFSU | By Regan McCarthy

Published April 27, 2021 at 5:34 AM EDT

Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, and Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah discuss a congressional redistricting map on the floor of the Senate Monday, Aug. 11, 2014, at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Legislators are meeting for a rare summer one-week special session, to redraw the boundary lines of two congressional districts ruled unconstitutional last month, and have a Friday deadline for a resolution. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)

Florida’s population growth over the past decade has earned it a new congressional seat. The Census Bureau released statewide population data Monday afternoon.

Florida’s population has increased from 18,801,310 in 2010 to 21,538,187, according to the 2020 census. That growth of nearly three million people means Florida will soon have a total of 28 congressional seats.

More data from the Census Bureau that details population by race, ethnicity and voting age is expected to be released to the state by September. The agency announced it would miss its April deadline to distribute that information because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawmakers need that data to draw new maps for state and congressional district seats. In a memo sent to Florida lawmakers, Senate President Wilton Simpson said that process is constitutionally required to take place during the 2022 legislative session. He says he believes lawmakers will be able to complete the process on time despite the delay.