Q&A on the News

How unusual is it for someone who lives out of a district to run for office in that district? — Martha Hunt, Hoschton

A recent analysis by The Washington Post found more than 20 members of Congress who were registered to vote outside of the districts where they serve.

Records for 395 members of Congress were obtained from L2, a political data firm. Redistricting is the reason in some cases, such as in Florida, the Post noted.

U.S. Rep. David Scott represents the 13th Congressional District, but he lives in Atlanta’s Inman Park in the 5th Congressional District, represented by U.S. Rep. John Lewis, the AJC previously reported. Scott told the AJC he represented Inman Park for many years as a state senator.

“And in my tenure in the state Senate I was very, very active statewide on a number of issues and I think that spoke well of me.

“I ran with that underneath me and the people accepted it,” he said.

Other states with members of Congress registered to vote outside of their districts were California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington, the Post reported, using data from L2 and TargetSmart.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev., was elected in November 2016 and fulfilled his pledge to move into the district he represents in January 2017, the Post reported.

Jon Ossoff, who is in a June 20 runoff with Karen Handel to represent the state’s 6th Congressional District, lives in the 5th District, but has said he plans to move into the district if he wins, the AJC has reported.