Redistricting Commissions are Now in a Majority of States

By EditorFeb 22, 2021

In case you missed it, as of this January when Maryland’s Governor announced the creation of an advisory redistricting commission, 26 states now have some form of a redistricting commission. Other recent additions include Ohio and Virginia. Commissions with Power to Enact a Map These commissions have the initial (and sometimes ultimate authority) to enact a redistricting map for a state. This includes “citizen” or “independent” commissions, in addition to appointed or hybrid commissions. AlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoHawaiiIdahoMichiganMissouriMontanaNew JerseyOhioPennsylvaniaWashingtonSome but not all of these commissions listed have authority over “both” congressional and legislative maps. Advisory or Backup Commissions Advisory commissions go through the…

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CA Redistricting Commission Reviewing Applications for Litigation Team and Voting Rights Counsel

By Michelle DavisFeb 17, 2021

The voting rights act counsel would provide legal support to the Commission, staff and consultants regarding the redistricting process, including the review of proposed district maps; development, use and analysis of Racially Polarized Voting (“RPV”) data, preparation of legal memoranda and general legal advice to the Commission. The commission is also seeking a litigation team in the event that any or all of its redistricting maps (Congressional, and State Senate, Assembly, and Board of Equalization) are challenged in state or federal court. To that end, the commission is seeking is seeking “statements of qualifications” (SOQ) from attorneys, including law firms…

NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting Litigation, Redistricting PrepCalifornia, commission, policyindepth, STATENEWS

Is Major Redistricting Reform From Congress On the Way? A Look at H.R. 1

By Michelle DavisFeb 17, 2021

Congress has made redistricting reform in 2021 a top priority. To that end H.R.1 (S.1) was introduced in the current congress and is poised to establish major election reforms should it pass. Nested within H.R. 1 is “subtitle E”, or the “Redistricting Reform Act of 2021.” The Brennan Center for Justice explains that the purpose of the Act is to combat racial injustice and partisan influence in the redrawing of congressional districts. Regardless of one’s policy position on the Act, all can agree that the legislation is a dramatic change from the redistricting status quo. Despite this fact, not many…

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The Census Bureau Sets a Target Date for Long-awaited Redistricting Data Delivery to the States

By EditorFeb 12, 2021

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today the target date for delivering redistricting data to the states; the final component needed to redraw congressional and legislative lines. The relevant excerpts from the bureau's official blog are below. The press release is here. James Whitehorne, Chief of the Redistricting and Voting Rights Data Office, U.S. Census Bureau: If this were a typical decade, we would be on the verge of delivering the first round of redistricting data from the 2020 Census. Our original plan was to deliver the data in state groupings starting Feb. 18, 2021 and finishing by March 31, 2021. …

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What’s New About Redistricting in 2020? – It’s Going To Start Late

By EditorFeb 11, 2021

Really late. The pre-Covid decades were very much predictable in terms of census data releases. The apportionment data, pursuant to statute, would be delivered to the President and Congress by Dec. 31, and redistricting was delivered to the states on a rolling basis throughout March. States with early primaries in that year would get their data first. By April 1 every state would have all of the data needed to begin the redistricting process. This decade, the census data timeline has been delayed and is riddled with uncertainty. The apportionment data was promised by the Census Bureau in January, then…

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Special Citizens Voting-Age Population Tabulation Canceled by Census Bureau

By EditorFeb 10, 2021

While the big news from the Census Bureau regarding the delayed apportionment and redistricting data has dominated the headlines as of late, the bureau also announced that it would be discontinuing its efforts to create a post-2020 “special tabulation” of the citizen voting-age population (CVAP). This special tab would have been a detailed estimate of the citizen voting-age population nationwide. Here is what you need to know about this development. A CVAP Special Tab is already Produced Annually by the Bureau. The special tab that was discontinued by the bureau recently is not the annual CVAP tab that it has…

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January Redistricting Update

By EditorFeb 01, 2021

The census data picture became slightly more clear in January. Two "new" state redistricting commissions made news as well. News Census Bureau Announces Revised Data Release Schedule But Stops Short on Firm Date for Redistricting Data Maryland Governor Creates Citizens Redistricting Commission Watch: The New Virginia Redistricting Commission Conducts its First Full Meeting Events As the redistricting season develops, redistricting related events will increase. Don't forget to check the RedistrictingOnline calendar. Make sure to your redistricting related event too. You can add events to the calendar here.

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Maryland Governor Creates Citizens Redistricting Commission

By EditorJan 31, 2021

Gov. Larry Hogan announced that he would establish The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission to redraw the state's congressional and state legislative boundaries. The application period for members of the public to apply to be on the commission is now open. The commission will consist of 3 members appointed by the governor and 6 members of the public who are selected by the initial three after applying through the application process. The governor's appointees are Judge Alexander Williams (democrat), Walter Olsen (Republican), and Dr. Kathleen Hetherington (Independent). Williams is a retired Judge of the United States District Court for the District…

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Watch: The New Virginia Redistricting Commission Conducts its First Full Meeting

By EditorJan 31, 2021

The brand new 2021 Virginia Redistricting Commission is up and running. This is new for the state, so all eyes will be on the 16-member commission as redistricting looms. You can watch the meetings here on RedistrictingOnline. Watch commission meetings via Redistrictingonline's Youtube playlist or the Virginia state info page to keep up to date on the commission and redistricting in Virginia in general. The commission is made up of eight citizen members and eight members of the state General Assembly. The commission held its first meeting as a full commission on January 21. There will lots for the commissioners…

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Census Bureau Announces Revised Data Release Schedule But Stops Short on Firm Date for Redistricting Data

By EditorJan 28, 2021

The target date for apportionment data is April 30 2021. Bureau officials say a date for the release of redistricting data for the states is forthcoming, but they are certain that date will not be before July 30. A Census Bureau official made these detailed remarks on Wed, Jan. 27 to a group of legislators and staff on a conference/video call organized by the National Conference of State Legislatures. In the past, processing and preparation of apportionment and redistricting data was accomplished in a parallel process. This decade, the Bureau made the decision to focus entirely on producing the apportionment…

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