The 2022 midterm elections are still more than a year away. But the battle to win those races has already begun in the form of redrawing legislative and congressional districts.

       This process, known as redistricting, happens every 10 years, after census data is collected to better understand the U.S. population.

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       Fights over the latest round of redistricting have really started to heat up, because the outcome could have major consequences for which party controls Congress. Historically, both Democrats and Republicans have fought to draw districts that would be more favorable for their party.

       The rules that guide the redistricting process are different in every state, and many of those rules and processes are now being challenged in the courts and in the political arena.

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       On this episode of the “Can He Do That?” podcast, national political reporter Colby Itkowitz explains what the outcome of these court challenges will tell us about how voters will be divided into districts for the next decade, and what we can learn about which party will emerge with the greatest advantage.

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       “Can He Do That?” is The Washington Post’s politics podcast, exploring presidential power in the face of weakened institutions, a divided electorate and changing political norms. Led by host Allison Michaels, each episode asks a new question about this extraordinary moment in American history and answers with insight into how our government works, how to understand ongoing events, and the implications when so much about the current state of American life and the country’s politics is unlike anything we’ve seen before.