If the borders of the 48 contiguous U.S. states were divided equally by population, what would the nation look like?
The concept is tantalizing.
The benefits: If divided equally by population, rural states would not be overrepresented in the U.S. Senate — where each state gets two representatives, regardless of population — and dense states would not be underrepresented, such as California and Texas.
The drawbacks: If state lines are redrawn after each census, you might wake up in a new state — with new laws and regulations — before the next election.
Urban planner Neil Freeman sought to imagine the possibilities by redrawing the continental United States by population, with care to preserve as many original boundaries as possible. It’s interesting to note that several major metropolitan areas essentially have their own states — I wonder how this map would affect intra-state voting in terms of where residents fall on the conservative-liberal political spectrum.
Here’s a look at the entire map. What new state would you live in?
