Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Houston County, (Georgia) Board of Commissioners

Justice Department Files Voting Rights Suit Against Houston County, (Georgia) Board of Commissioners

By EditorJan 17, 2025
Press Release: Jan. 16, 2025 The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Houston County, Georgia, to challenge the county’s at-large method of electing the Houston County Board of Commissioners. The lawsuit alleges that the county’s current at-large method of electing county commissioners results in Black citizens having less opportunity than other members of the electorate to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Black residents make up more than 31% of the county’s voting-age population. In recent years, Black-preferred candidates have run for the Board of Commissioners…
Georgia, Voting Rights Act, ,
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U.S. Supreme Court Leaves North Dakota House Districts in Place Against Racial Gerrymandering Challenge

U.S. Supreme Court Leaves North Dakota House Districts in Place Against Racial Gerrymandering Challenge

By EditorJan 14, 2025
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legislature's creation of subdistricts within North Dakota House districts 4 and 9 in 2021. The lawsuit had claimed that the subdistricts - drawn to avoid vote dilution in the Native American populations within the Turtle Mountain and Fort Berthold Reservations - were unconstitutional racial gerrymanders. A federal three-judge panel in North Dakota dismissed the lawsuit in 2023 and the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the plaintiffs' appeal, leaving the federal district court decision in place. Interestingly, the North Dakota Secretary of State reversed course during the litigation and notified the U.S. Supreme Court that…
North Dakota, Racial Gerrymandering,
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Arizona Predicted to Gain a U.S. House Seat in 2030

Arizona Predicted to Gain a U.S. House Seat in 2030

By EditorJan 10, 2025
Arizona’s rapid growth means it is “likely to pick up a 10th seat in Congress” after the 2030 census, pushing its electoral-vote total from 11 to 12, according to new projections by Election Data Services, which cite a July 1 population estimate of 7.6 million and a forecast of 8.2 million residents by decade’s end. Because House seats are fixed at 435, the gain would come at other states’ expense: Oregon, Minnesota, Illinois, New York, and especially California are all expected to lose seats, while Idaho would also add one; Texas and Florida are projected to pick up two each,…
Arizona, Census Law, ,
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Is Louisiana “Begrudgingly” Defending the State’s 2024 Congressional Map?

Is Louisiana “Begrudgingly” Defending the State’s 2024 Congressional Map?

By EditorJan 07, 2025
Louisiana's 2022 congressional map faced a Section 2 vote dilution challenge because it had only one majority-Black district out of 6 in a state where one-third of the population is Black. The lawsuit was successful in that a preliminary injunction was granted on the basis that it was likely that the map violated Section 2 if the case were to go to trial. Louisiana passed a new map with two majority Black districts in early 2024. However, the new map brought new litigation alleging that the 2024 map was an illegal racial gerrymander. A divided federal panel ruled that it…
Racial Gerrymandering, , ,
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Census Bureau to Hold Webinar on Release of 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File B

Census Bureau to Hold Webinar on Release of 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File B

By EditorJul 16, 2024
July 09, 2024 Press Release Number CB24-CN.16 JULY 9, 2024 —The U.S. Census Bureau will hold a prerelease webinar July 23 to discuss information about the 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File B (Detailed DHC-B) scheduled for public release Aug. 1. This data product provides household type and tenure (whether the household is owner or renter-occupied) information, including total household counts, for approximately 1,500 detailed race and ethnicity groups and detailed American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tribes and villages. Data will be available for the nation, states, counties, places (cities and towns), census tracts, and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian (AIANNH)…
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The 2030 Census Advisory Committee will Meet in July. View the Agenda

The 2030 Census Advisory Committee will Meet in July. View the Agenda

By EditorJul 15, 2024
The 2030 Census Advisory Committee will meet on Friday, July 26, 2024. The meeting will be virtual and will take place between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm. This is the link to the live video feed. About the CAC The 2030 Census Advisory Committee (2030 CAC) will review and provide feedback related to 2030 Census plans and execution to assist the Census Bureau to devise strategies to increase census awareness and participation, reduce barriers to response, and enhance the public’s trust and willingness to respond. The CAC consists of 23 members representing stakeholder organizations, groups, interest, and viewpoints. The 2030…
Census Data and Geography, ,
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Press Release: Census Bureau Provides Update on Remaining 2020 Census Data Products

Press Release: Census Bureau Provides Update on Remaining 2020 Census Data Products

By EditorJul 12, 2024
Date: July 08, 2024 Press Release Number CB24-CN.15 The U.S. Census Bureau today provided an update on the final three data products from the 2020 Census. Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File B (Detailed DHC-B) — Aug. 1. The Detailed DHC-B provides household type and tenure information, including total household counts, for approximately 1,500 detailed race and ethnicity groups and detailed American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tribes and villages. The final table shells are included on the “Detailed DHC A & B Tables” tab of the 2020 Census Data Product Crosswalk. Embargo subscribers can access these statistics beginning 10 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, July 30, for…
Census Data and Geography, , ,
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Federal Court Rules Mississippi Legislative Maps Must be Redrawn.

Federal Court Rules Mississippi Legislative Maps Must be Redrawn.

By EditorJul 11, 2024
Mississippi's 2022 state legislative districts must be redrawn after a three-judge federal panel declared three districts violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The case is Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP v. State Board of Election Commissioners. Read the opinion and order here. While plaintiffs in this case were suing for an additional four senate districts and three house districts, the court concluded that only two senate and one house district met the requirements for a remedy under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act: "We find that three of the illustrative senate and house districts reflect minority…
Mississippi, Voting Rights Act, , , ,
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8th Circuit Becomes the First to Deny Private Litigants Standing to Sue Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act

8th Circuit Becomes the First to Deny Private Litigants Standing to Sue Under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act

By EditorJul 09, 2024
This Arkansas State Conference of the NAACP has decided against appealing an 8th Circuit ruling that individuals have no standing to sue under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling comes after decades of court cases that have allowed private litigants to sue under the Act. First a little background: Who Can Sue Under the Voting Rights Act Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) (found at 52 U.S.C. § 10301) prohibits discrimination in voting based on race, color, or membership in an enumerated language minority group. Since its enactment, courts have assumed that private citizens and…
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Campaign Legal Center Issues a Performance Review of Redistricting Commissions during the 2021 Cycle

Campaign Legal Center Issues a Performance Review of Redistricting Commissions during the 2021 Cycle

By EditorJul 03, 2024
On June 26, the Campaign Legal Center (CLC) released a report evaluating the performance of various redistricting commissions in the 2021 redistricting cycle. According to CLC, it was "based on an in-depth review of the laws and procedures that governed commissions in each state, as well as an assessment of each commission’s redistricting process. The report presents a number of case studies from the 2021 cycle, which summarize how particular commissions functioned in practice and distills general principles that can be drawn from each commission’s experience." Read the report titled "Redistricting Commissions in the 2021 Redistricting Cycle." Find us on:
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