Census Projections: Fla. Could Get 2 More House Seats
MIAMI - (CBS4) - Florida's increasing population may mean the state could pick up two more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, early projected figures from the U.S. Census bureau shows.
The official figures are expected to be released Tuesday and if those early projections turn out to be correct, the state's representatives would jump from 25 to 27. The state's Electoral College could also increase to 29 votes.
Politicians say that it would raise Florida's influence in future presidential elections.
``Two seats would be like both LeBron James and Chris Bosh,'' state Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, who serves on a legislative committee tackling redistricting, told CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. "`To think that we could be more influential than the last couple of presidential elections is saying a lot, but two more seats surely would do it.''
Central Florida is among the region that has received a population boost growing faster than any other area, the Herald reported.
New, voter-approved rules governing districting maps are expected to complicate matters.
CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed to this report.
