Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Southern California Could Lose Two Congressional Seats After 2020 Census

Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
This week President Trump released a memo meant to stop unauthorized immigrants from being included in the census numbers, which are used to apportion seats in Congress. If he were to have his way -- which looks unlikely -- California could take a big hit politically.
But Trump's wishes aside, a new study from Claremont McKenna College predicts that California could lose two representatives anyway, simply because the state's population growth has slowed and immigration into California has declined.
That team, led by research affiliate Douglas Johnson, predicts one seat would likely be taken from the San Gabriel Valley, which has grown particularly slowly over the last decade.
The loss of one seat has been predicted for some time, but lately it's looking more dire: According to new calculations from data firm ESRI, the margin for California to lose a second seat is only 1,300 people -- and that's assuming every Californian completes the census, something that's not likely to happen.
Using that information. and looking at regional population growth, Johnson's team ran a model to predict which California district could be the second loss in that worst-case scenario. They identified the 49th district, stretching from Dana Point to Del Mar, as one possibility.
"It's on the border of Orange County and San Diego, so it's getting pressure from both sides," Johnson said. If either county loses population as reported in the census, they may need to balance out neighboring districts by absorbing constituents from the 49th.
"Some area is going to lose their voice in D.C. and be grouped together with a larger area and no one wants that," he said.
Johnson said that people living in the 49th should be particularly motivated to get counted in the census if they want to preserve their district.

Last weekend, Mike Levin, a Democrat who currently represents the 49th, participated in a car caravan to drum up census support. He drove through Oceanside along with several vintage car owners, who honked horns and shouted census-related slogans.
Levin is aware of the risk to the 49th, but isn't taking it too seriously...yet.
"It's premature," Levin said. "Talk to me in a year."
At this point, Levin said he's more interested in the federal funding that census participation provides. But if the California Citizens Redistricting Commission does consider cutting up the 49th, Levin said they'd be dividing a cohesive community.
"I think I represent the most beautiful district in the United States, 52 miles of Pacific. People (here) care very deeply about our beaches, our air, our water," Levin said. "Last I saw, we have the second highest percentages of veterans in the United States."
Chema Navarro, an Oceanside resident, came out to the car caravan in her light pink 1957 Lincoln Premiere. She's heard about the possibility of California losing a seat in Congress, and the possible threat to the 49th.
"California is huge and we need to do everything possible to conserve what we've got already," Navarro said.
Ultimately, the fate of the district will be in the hands of the still-forming redistricting commission. This week the first eight members of the team were sworn in; they're now training to learn how to make major redistricting decisions fairly.
But even the commission can't stop a district from being removed -- that will depend on how many Californians participate in the census.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?