Montana could get 2nd U.S. House seat in 2020 census

Montana could regain a second U.S. House seat after the 2020 Census, according to recently released figures.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that new state census numbers show Texas could gain two seats in the House of Representatives, while Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Oregon could each gain one.

Montana had two congressional districts from 1913 to 1993 but lost one of its two seats in the reapportionment following the 1990 census. GOP Rep. Greg Gianforte now occupies the seat.

The state population estimates are for the year that ended July 1. Congressional seats and electoral vote are determined on the census numbers, which are collected every 10 years.

The Journal said eight states could lose a seat: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia and California. It would be California’s first such loss since it became a state in 1850.

Montana’s population for 2019 is 1,068,788, an increase of 8,113 residents from 2018 or 0.76%. The Treasure State population saw an 8% increase from 989,415 residents in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau numbers released Monday.

Jeff Essmann, a former state lawmaker who now sits on a state panel drawing the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts based on census information, said the possibility of a new district is a prime example of why people should participate in the census.

“The commission is encouraging everybody to be counted, even if they do not want to answer all the nosy questions,” he said. 

He said a state with Montana’s economic diversity deserves two delegates.

Essmann said the five-member Districting and Apportionment Commission on which he serves will get the Census approved numbers toward March 2021 and then has 90 days to develop a plan to split the state in two districts using population information provided by the census, should the second congressional district be determined.

He said historically that has been an east-west split, but said the big questions will be whether the split can occur across county lines and be within the population variance the state Supreme Court will find acceptable.

He said he expected the panel to make the split along county lines as much as possible.

Most states will redraw congressional and legislative districts in time for 2022 votes, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Montana has used a commission to draw congressional and state legislative districts since 1973, according to the state website. Essmann and Dan Stusek were appointed by Republican legislative leadership to serve. Joe Lamson and Kendra Miller were named by Democratic leadership.

The panel’s presiding officer, Sheila Stearns, was appointed by the state Supreme Court after the board was unable to agree on someone to fill the position. 

According to the website mt.gov/Census2020,  households should receive a letter by mail or left at their door by April 1 with instructions on how to complete the census questionnaire. The survey has nine questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete, officials said.

People can respond online, by telephone or by mail. In May, the Census Bureau will begin following up with households that have not responded. By law, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you, even to law enforcement agencies.

For every Montana resident counted, the state will receive nearly $2,000 per person each year for the next decade in federal funding, state officials said. The $20,000 per person is used in every Montana county for medical assistance, educational programs, infrastructure, highway planning and more than 300 other programs.

The Wall Street Journal contributed to this story. Reporter Phil Drake is our eye on the state capitol. For tips, suggestions or comment, he can be reached at 406-231-9021 or pdrake@greatfallstribune.com. To support his work, subscribe today and get a special offer.