VIDALIA — When the census packet arrives in your mail next month, local legislative officials are urging that you take it seriously and fill it out as accurately as possible.

That’s because both state and federal legislative redistricting will begin once the census information is confirmed.

The Louisiana legislature will draw up the new districts based on population, and — based on past population trends — it is believed that Louisiana will lose a Congressional seat due to population loss.

District 21 Rep. Andy Anders said it is important for everyone locally to fill out their census information so that the Seventh Congressional District isn’t the one that is eliminated, if a district is to be eliminated.

“We certainly don’t want to lose our representation in this area and be dominated by somewhere way across the state like Shreveport,” Anders said.

Having an accurate population count will also affect how large — or how small — the state legislative districts are. The more population an area has, the smaller the district will be.

Currently, District 32 Sen. Neil Riser represents what is geographically the largest district in the state, a district that encompasses Concordia, Catahoula, Caldwell, Franklin, LaSalle and West Feliciana parishes and parts of Avoyelles, Ouachita, Rapides and Richland parishes.

“I already have one-tenth of the landmass of the state as it is, and we are not really going to know anything until they get the numbers back,” Riser said. “But whatever the district ends up with based on the population that is required to maintain that district, I will serve that district just the same as I serve it now.”

Whatever the case may be, though, Riser said he doesn’t anticipate his district shrinking in size.

Anders’ represents Concordia, Tensas, Madison and East Carroll parishes, a district that he said is the longest in the state.

“My district is the agriculture area of the state, and I have spoken with Rep. Rick Gallot, who is chairing the redistricting committee, and we are going to try to keep (my district) as it is. I hope the population is not off as drastically as I have heard.”

While Anders said there aren’t any hard numbers yet, he has heard plenty of anecdotal evidence that the population is leaving.

“You start looking at the small towns, and especially around here, none of the children have moved back,” he said.

But there’s also new development that needs to be accounted for, he said.

“You look in the rural areas where you have lost some numbers, but at the same time, when you look at the lakes and the development there, you don’t know how many people live in there,” Anders said.

Likewise, Anders said households need to claim everyone who is living there at the time of the census.

“They might say that only two people live there, but really there are six people living there,” he said.

“Getting a correct count is going to be vital for all our representation. It is going to be big for the State of Louisiana to make sure we are all accounted for.”

Census forms will be mailed in March. The forms must be mailed back by April 1.

A census taker will follow-up with a visit at every address that does not return a the 10-question form.