Redistricting can feel technical, but its effects are deeply local. The district lines drawn after each census shape who represents communities and influence decisions about roads, schools, public services, taxes, infrastructure and other resources for years to come.
Alabama Values created this Local Redistricting Messaging & Social Toolkit to help organizations, advocates and community partners explain why redistricting matters, connect the process to everyday life and give people practical ways to participate.
The toolkit is grounded in a simple idea: communities know themselves best. Residents understand their neighborhoods, shared histories, needs and relationships, and they should have a meaningful voice in how district lines are drawn.
Inside the toolkit
The resource includes:
- General talking points on local redistricting
- Plain-language explanations of how district lines affect communities
- Examples connecting redistricting to roads, bridges, garbage collection, city ordinances and county services
- Guidance on how residents can participate in local redistricting processes
- Tips for preparing and giving public testimony
- Sample testimony language
- Social media campaign ideas and creative guidance
- Hashtags and public-hearing promotional resources
One of the toolkit’s central messages is that maps should be drawn so voters can choose their representatives, not so politicians can choose their voters.
View Toolkit
The guide also emphasizes the importance of community testimony. Residents are encouraged to describe what connects their community, including shared history, culture, institutions, schools, workplaces, services and other characteristics that help decision-makers understand why a community should remain whole.
This toolkit was designed as a practical communications resource for partners working to raise awareness, support community education and encourage meaningful participation in Alabama’s local redistricting process.