By PAUL J. WEBER and GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Computer files discovered in the home of a Republican operative who died last year contain a blueprint for how the GOP could extend its domination of legislatures in states where growing Latino populations favor Democrats.

The files from North Carolina-based redistricting expert Tom Hofeller lay out how Texas Republicans could benefit from basing state legislative districts on the number of voting-age citizens instead of the total population.

But he said the 2020 U.S. Census would have to ask households about their citizenship status for the move to work.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide in the next month whether to allow such a question.

Lawyers suing to block it say Hofeller had a hand in requesting the question be added. The federal Justice Department denies that allegation.

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