NEW: Arizona grows by 25% in 10 years

PHOENIX - Census Bureau population and congressional apportionment figures released Tuesday show Arizona's population grew 24.6 percent from 2000 to 2010, from 5.13 million people to 6.39 million.

The U.S. population grew by 9.7 percent and now sits at 308.7 million.

Arizona was the second-fastest growing state in the nation behind Nevada. The congressional reapportionment announced by the Census Bureau means Arizona will elect one extra representative to the House starting in 2012.

The new seat will likely be centered in Maricopa and Pinal counties, which saw most of the increase in residents, according to a redistricting consultant who analyzed state population trends.

See the numbers on the Census Bureau's website

It will now be up to a special commission to draw new maps to fit the population. Sounds simple -- until politics get involved.

The Arizona Indepedent Redistricting Committee is selected every 10 years.

To be fair, it's composed of two Republicans, two Democrats and one Independent. But the whole concept of independence took a big hit last week.

"The majority party is interjecting themselves into a process that's supposed to be non-political," said Rep. Chad Campbell, D - Phoenix.

"They must reconsider their actions if we are to have any faith and confidence in this redistricting process," said House Speaker Kirk Adams.

Kirk Adams and several other Republican leaders stood in front of the Capitol last week to speak out in support of a Republican candidate, who was excluded from a list of commission finalists because of his faith.

It didn't take long for Democrats to fire back.

"It goes against the full intent of the law," Campbell said.

Not all states choose districts the same way.

And in Arizona, the current system was created in 1998. It took almost eight years to finish tied up by legal lawsuits filed by political parties.