*Update*

2010-08-04  As of last night, New York has become the latest state to change the way inmates are counted in the census. Now, those incarcerated will be counted at their residence before incarceration rather than the locale of the prison in which they are held. This represents one victory of several in recent months as both Maryland and Delaware have passed similar changes in legislation.

Thank you to everyone who signed this petition and showed New York lawmakers that the country will not stand for prison based gerrymandering!

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Every 10 years, states use results from the U.S. Census to draw their Congressional districts. Each time this occurs, thousands of people are counted not in their homes, but rather where their prisons are located. This is a major distortion of democracy, especially in states like New York, where there are currently 7 congressional districts that wouldn't qualify for their own individual representatives without the presence of local prisons. Meanwhile, the communities where prisoners come from (for example, New York City) are losing political clout.

We are asking that New York count those inmates in their communities of origin, the communities they will most likely return to upon their release. This will ensure that the urban and poor communities that bear the brunt of the U.S. prison system already aren't denied the representation they rightfully deserve. Show your support by signing the petition below.