Union of Concerned Scientists Release Report on 2020 Census Data Accuracy

Union of Concerned Scientists Release Report on 2020 Census Data Accuracy

Concerns about census data accuracy have lead experts to worry about "the potential undercounting of variousgroups in the country and how undercounts might affect federal funding allocation, redistricting efforts, and representation. The Union of Concerned Scientists released this report in July describing the possible effects that undercounting may have on specific populations. From the Report: ". . . worries include potential undercounting of Hispanic populations in many communities and of young children, as well as underestimates of population at the state level (Epstein and Medina 2021; O’Hare et al. 2020; Bahrampour,Rabinowitz, and Mellnik 2021). In this report, we seek to…
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Redistricting Headlines July 29 2021

Redistricting Headlines July 29 2021

A quick look at redistricting-related news across the USA. Census Director's Blog: Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When Census: NCSL’s Underhill Takes Deep Dive Into the Census   Colorado: Map deadline in high court's redistricting order still TBD, vexing commissions   Idaho: Idaho Redistricting Commission Has 5 of 6 Members   New York: Government Law Center Releases New Explainer on NY Redistricting   Pennsylvania: Will this round of Pa. redistricting be another all-out war? It’s all in the details   South Dakota: Chair Expects Legislative Redistricting To Start Next Month   For more news visit: Our News Page For…
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Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When

Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When

Director's Blog - BY DR. RON JARMIN, ACTING DIRECTOR: Since releasing the apportionment results in April, we’ve had several teams working hard on the next set of 2020 Census data — the redistricting data. These data play an important role in our democracy and will begin to illuminate the changes to the local and demographic makeup of our nation over the last decade. These data include the first sub-state population counts and demographic characteristics from the census, information that states typically use for redistricting — the process of redrawing electoral district boundaries based on where their populations have increased or…
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Resources Available to Prepare for the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Release

Resources Available to Prepare for the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Release

Press Release- BY JAMES WHITEHORNE, CHIEF, REDISTRICTING DATA AND VOTING RIGHTS OFFICE: In a few weeks, we’ll release the 2020 Census redistricting data in our legacy summary file format. And a few weeks after that, we’ll release the same data in an easier-to-use format. We’re releasing the same data twice but in different formats at different times to make sure states get the data as quickly as possible. Acting Director Dr. Ron Jarmin explained these two releases in his blog, Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When. In this blog, I provide more detail about the formats and support materials available,…
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Montgomery County Redistricting Commission Clarifies Use of “Draft Maps”

Montgomery County Redistricting Commission Clarifies Use of “Draft Maps”

Statement from Montgomery County's Commission on Redistricting Chair Cordier about redistricting maps and ongoing deliberations For Immediate Release: Friday, July 23, 2021 Rockville, Md., July 23, 2021—At the July 14 meeting of the Montgomery County Commission on Redistricting, the group reviewed and discussed different redistricting mapping tools. As part of these deliberations, examples of maps were displayed and shared with Commission members to illustrate different approaches to using these tools.Mariana Cordier, chair of the Commission on Redistricting, made the following statement on the ongoing work of the group and the maps used as examples at the last meeting."At the sixth…
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Census Bureau Moves Up Release of Demonstration Data to Coincide with August Redistricting Data Release

Census Bureau Moves Up Release of Demonstration Data to Coincide with August Redistricting Data Release

Press Release (July 22, 2021): In response to stakeholder input about the value of earlier access to demonstration data that feature the 2020 Census Disclosure Avoidance System’s chosen production settings, the Census Bureau is moving up the release date for the demonstration data to coincide with the release (by August 16) of the legacy-formatted redistricting data. We’ll announce the specific release date in the coming weeks. The Census Bureau released metrics for the chosen production settings July 1 (see newsletter). We understand, based on your feedback, that access to the demonstration data coincident to the initial redistricting data release will…
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Time.com Article Lays Out the Case for Prison Gerrymandering Reform

Time.com Article Lays Out the Case for Prison Gerrymandering Reform

Prison Gerrymandering is more an act of omission than commission in that it occurs as a result of the redistricting process unless a jurisdiction acts to reverse it. In the 10 years between the 2010 and 2020 redistricting cycle, nearly a dozen states have committed to rectifying what many advocates say is a distortion in representational rights as a result of counting prisoners as residents of the electoral districts they are incarcerated in as opposed to the districts they resided in prior. Time.com offers this recent article that describes the issue in practical terms and makes the case for nationwide…
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Duke University Prof. Will Discuss “Monte Carlo” Sampling Method for Fair Redistricting Maps

Duke University Prof. Will Discuss “Monte Carlo” Sampling Method for Fair Redistricting Maps

Monte Carlo sampling is generally a numerical method of solving mathematical problems through random sampling. When applied to redistricting, many academics advocate its use either to ferret out extreme gerrymandering or to produce more fairly drawn maps in the first place. Professor of Mathematics Jonathan Christopher Mattingly of Duke University, will be discussing the Monte Carlo method in-depth as it applies to redistricting on July 20th as the I.E. Block Community Lecturer at the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) virtual annual meeting. Mattingly has served as an expert witness in several high-profile restricting cases, including the recent U.S. Supreme Court case…
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