News
REDISTRICTING for 2020
Public Law 94-171 stipulates that the U.S. Census Bureau work in a nonpartisan manner with the states to identify and provide the small-area data population counts necessary for legislative redistricting to the legislature and governor of each state one year after the Census (i.e., by April 1, 2021). These small areas have been identified by the states as voting districts and tabulation blocks. The Census Bureau, therefore, provides each state with the 100 percent counts of total persons by race, Hispanic origin, and voting age, along with housing and group quarters data for each voting district (VTD) and tabulation block. The Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office (CRVRDO) of the U.S. Census Bureau works directly with the states to help them define the census blocks used to tabulate the 2020 Census P.L. 94 -171 data through the Block Boundary Suggestion Project. This project allows for the identification of features to be used as block boundaries and the updating of linear features and areas in the census geographic database. The creation of tabulation blocks, and the ability for states to provide input towards their creation, assists the Census Bureau in complying with its requirements under P.L. 94-171 to provide the governor and legislature in each state the small area data they need to redraw legislative districts.In the past, several states found successful RDP participation difficult due to inconsistencies between the place boundary universe as represented by census, their state, and local databases. Stemming from that difficulty, and with an eye towards greater accuracy and efficiency, the states recommended tighter coordination between the Redistricting Data Program and the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). The CRVRDO and the BAS have created a framework under which this coordination will occur by allowing the suggestion of place boundary updates to come through the RDP. This coordination required the centralization of the RDP at Census headquarters rather than in the Regional Offices as had been done in the past. Planning and Development District III will be working closely with the US Census Bureau to clean up place boundaries. If you have any questions please contact our office.DOCUMENTS: