By Paul DeMarco
BIRMINGHAM — While we are still a week away from the New Year, there appears to be some potential good news for Alabama in 2021.
This week the University of Michigan has projected estimates of the state’s population based on the 2020 United States Census.
Alabama appears on the list of states that may not lose a Congressional seat or member of the Electoral College.
Alabama’s slow growth as compared to other states around the Nation foreshadowed the state was in store to drop a seat from seven to six in Congress, along with millions of federal dollars. Back in the 1950’s, Alabama had nine Congressmen, so the state has not been immune to losing seats in the past.
Our state was right on the bubble, but by a mere 6,000 or more residents it looks like Alabama may keep all seven spots in the United States of Representatives.
Alabama leaders worked hard to incentivize citizens to fill out their census form this past year. And if this report is correct, it may have been successful.
We will not get the official results until later this Spring. There is also still an outstanding case before the United States Supreme Court on whether illegal aliens can be excluded from the census. Thus, Alabama could still ultimately see a reduction of power in Congress and the electoral college.
However, this early report is a relief for Alabama in a year we needed good news.
Let’s hope this prognostication becomes reality.
Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives