Monthly Redistricting Update: April

Census Activity

The big news in April was of course the U.S. Census Bureau’s long-awaited apportionment results. After a 4 month delay, the Bureau announced the results in a press conference on Monday, April 26 (see video below). The results were full of surprises; notably New York’s loss of an additional seat by just 89 people. Check out the Census Data & Technology page for more details on that. Below are links to the data and press releases from the Census Bureau on apportionment.

There is also ongoing concern over the bureau’s data privacy efforts, or “differential privacy.” In April, a group of civil rights organizations issued a report outlining how privacy-treated data may harm minority voters since the data will be used for redistricting later in the year. Seemingly, but not directly in response, the Bureau has issued several press releases and bulletins to allay these fears. Also in April, states have begun to address the scheduling chaos caused by delayed census redistricting data. Oregon’s supreme court extended the necessary deadlines but other states and localities are contemplating using census survey data. At least one civil rights group has warned against this practice.

Census Apportionment Data Release

2020 Census Apportionment Results Delivered to the President

U.S. Census Apportionment Results Are in. Here is the Data

Census Bureau Releases Quality Indicators on 2020 Census

Data Privacy Developments

Census Bureau: New Demonstration Data Will Feature Higher Privacy-loss Budget, Satisfies Redistricting Accuracy Target

Civil Rights Groups Issue New Report Detailing Potential Harm to Minority Groups During Redistricting Due to Differential Privacy

U.S. Census Bureau Releases Bulletin to Allay Fears and Explain its Testing Strategy for Differential Privacy

Handy Census Tools

View the Latest Census Estimate Data for Your State with the Redistricting and You Online Map Tool

Response to the Census Redistricting Data Delay

Oregon Supreme Court Establishes Revised Deadlines for Legislative Maps

MALDEF: Civil Rights, Good Government Groups, and Experts, Decry Attempts to Use ACS Data as the Primary Basis for Redistricting

Legal Developments

After an active round of litigation concerning various issues with the conduct of the 2020 Census, litigation in anticipation of redistricting gridlock has begun in earnest. Notably, state court lawsuits were filed in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. They are considered “placeholder” lawsuits in the very likely event that redistricting maps are not approved in time for elections in 2022.

State Court Invalidates the Wisconsin Legislature’s Retainer of Two Law Firms for Redistricting Litigation.

The National Urban League (et al.) Agreed to Settle its Lawsuit Seeking to Slowdown the Census Work Plan. Here are the Details of the Agreement.

16 States Join in Alabama’s Challenge to the Census Bureau’s Data Privacy Program

After Apportionment Results Announced 3 Lawsuits are Filed in 3 States in Anticipation of Redistricting Gridlock

Commissions

Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission Announces Members

2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission Hires Marcy Kaplan as Director of Outreach