For some Dorchester voters, including those who vote at the Catherine Clark Apartments and Lower Mills branch of the Boston Public Library, the ballot in 2012 will look a little different. Thanks to the redrawing of Congressional district boundaries, a number of voters will be newly represented by Congressman Michael Capuano instead of Congressman Stephen Lynch.

The two congressmen have long shared Dorchester, with Capuano (D-Somerville) largely taking the area west of Dorchester Avenue and Lynch (D-South Boston) representing the area to the east. There are exceptions: Capuano represents most of Fields Corner, while Lynch has represented Lower Mills and the area around the Walsh Playground on the Mattapan line.

But congressional boundaries almost always have to be redrawn every ten years to reflect population shifts. A committee of state lawmakers redrew the districts earlier this year, and Gov. Deval Patrick signed the changes into law on Nov. 21.

Lynch’s district now reaches northward –picking up the North End – and southward into Quincy, Weymouth, Hingham, Cohasset, Scituate, and Hull. Lynch no longer has Needham under the new maps.
Capuano, in addition to having Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Somerville, picks up Everett, Milton, and Randolph. His seat is a solid majority-minority district; the population of people of color in his seat now hits 56.6 percent, up from 52 percent.

Both officials have said they’re running for reelection. Lynch has held the seat since 2001; Capuano won his in 1998.

Capuano did not lose any Dorchester or Mattapan precincts, and picked up 10 precincts that were previously represented by Lynch. According to the Somerville Democrat’s office, they include:

– Precincts 8 and 9 in Ward 13. The polling location is the Catherine Clark Apartments at 915 Dorchester Ave., in the Columbia/Savin Hill neighborhood.

– Precinct 6 in Ward 15. The polling location is the Savin Hill Apartments at 130 Auckland St., in Savin Hill.

– Precincts 4, 6, 8, and 11 in Ward 16. Precinct 4 votes at the Henderson Elementary School at 1669 Dorchester Ave., while Precinct 6 votes at the Pope John Paul II Catholic Academy’s central campus (formerly known as St. Mark’s School) on Centre Street. Precinct 8 votes at the Adams Street branch of the Boston Public Library and Precinct 11 votes at Florian Hall.

– Precincts 4, 13, and 14 in Ward 17. Precinct 4 votes at Dorchester Academy, located at 18 Croftland Ave. Precincts 13 and 14 vote at the Lower Mills branch of the Boston Public Library at 27 Richmond St.

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.