Watch: NCSL 2030 Census Prep Webinar – Local Update of Census Addresses

Watch: NCSL 2030 Census Prep Webinar – Local Update of Census Addresses

By EditorJul 01, 2025
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) hosted a June 2025 webinar entitled, “LUCA: Improving Census Data. Here’s How, Starting Now,” which kicks off preparations for the 2030 census by spotlighting the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA), the Census Bureau’s first preparatory operation in the new cycle. The National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, and the International City/County Management Association co-sponsored the event. The webinar urges states, localities, and tribal nations to "begin scrubbing" the Bureau’s address list now, especially in areas with hidden or non-traditional housing, recent infill, disaster recovery, or rapid growth, so that…
Census Data and Geography, Redistricting Prep, ,
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Recent Census Data Developments Call into Question its Suitability for Redistricting

Recent Census Data Developments Call into Question its Suitability for Redistricting

By EditorAug 01, 2021
In the span of just a few days and just weeks before official census redistricting data is scheduled to be released, the Census Bureau reveals two rather startling revelations about the data. "Fuzzy Blocks" First, the Acting Census Director Ron Jarmin warned in the Director's Blog that the information in individual census blocks - the smallest and most detailed unit of data - will appear "fuzzy" and at times nonsensical due to the Bureau's application of privacy measures, and thus should not be used for building redistricting maps. Blocks are often used as the basic building blocks of redistricting maps…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, LATEST, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Functions, Redistricting Prep, , , , , , ,
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Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When

Redistricting Data: What to Expect and When

By EditorJul 28, 2021
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…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Functions, Redistricting Prep, , , , , , , ,
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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

By EditorJul 28, 2021
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,…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, LATEST, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Prep, , , , , , ,
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State Court Invalidates the Wisconsin Legislature’s Retainer of Two Law Firms for Redistricting Litigation. Read the Opinion

By EditorApr 30, 2021
On Thursday, a Wisconsin Circuit Court voided two contracts state legislative leaders had entered into with two law firms in anticipation of redistricting litigation. The court concluded that both contracts are void because the legislative defendants were not authorized [under the state constitution or the various statutes contemplated in the case] to hire those firms for litigation purposes. Summary judgment was granted and defendants are permanently enjoined from authorizing any further payment on the two contracts for any services performed pursuant to them. Some excerpts from the court decision are below. Click here to read the opinion. Circuit Court: The…
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Census Bureau: New Demonstration Data Will Feature Higher Privacy-loss Budget, Satisfies Redistricting Accuracy Target

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

By EditorApr 19, 2021
On Monday, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that it has decided on the precise algorithm for its disclosure avoidance tool / differential privacy method. In short, the algorithm used to inject "noise" in the raw census data to protect privacy, will be set to inject a significantly lower level of noise into the data in comparison to previous samples released to the data user community over the past 18 months. Read the detailed release below: Press Release - April 19, 2021: Based on the results of over 600 experimental data runs to optimize and tune the parameters of the new…
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View the Latest Census Estimate Data for Your State with the Redistricting and You Online Map Tool

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

By EditorApr 03, 2021
The Center for Urban Research (CUR) at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) has created the Redistricting & You online map to help members of the public, journalists, elected officials, and other redistricting stakeholders to understand the local implications of redrawing legislative district lines across the country. The website uses the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau to show several population characteristics that will help inform the redistricting debate. Until census 2020 data is available, the most current data to show how congressional and state legislative district demographics have changed is from the American Community Survey, either from the 5-year 2015-2019 estimates or…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, LATEST, Redistricting, Redistricting Prep,
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Congressional Redistricting Under HR1: A Primer for State Officials

Congressional Redistricting Under HR1: A Primer for State Officials

By Jeffrey M. WiceMar 24, 2021
S.1/H.R.1 is a comprehensive piece of legislation dealing with election administration, voting procedures, and campaign finance, and it includes dramatic requirements for the congressional redistricting process in nearly every state. Whats more, these requirements may apply to the current redistricting cycle. My colleague Nick Stabile and I at New York Law School's NY Census & Redistricting Institute have drafted this guide (below) for state officials to comply with S.1/H.R.1 if the bill is enacted into law in its current form. It is designed as a “how-to” guide for states to implement HR1/S1’s redistricting provisions if enacted “as is." https://redistrictingonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/HR-1-_-S-1-Redistricting-Primer-for-State-Officials-03.23.2021.pdf Read…
FEATURES, LATEST, Official Redistricting Entities, Partisan Gerrymandering, POLICY and PRACTICE, Redistricting, Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting Criteria, Redistricting Prep, , ,
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This Online Map Tool Identifies the Impact of Census Data Delays in Every State

This Online Map Tool Identifies the Impact of Census Data Delays in Every State

By Michelle DavisMar 19, 2021
Use this super handy map of the U.S. to browse which states are in the most trouble when it comes to delayed census redistricting data. Developed by the Electoral Innovation Lab at the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, this interactive map helps us to easily identify at least 11 states in the hot seat as of today. State staffers who would like to monitor possible responses to the data delay can use this map to identify similarly situated states. The lab plans to update the map as states make adjustments to their timelines or if the census timeline changes. From the Princeton…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, FEATURES, LATEST, Redistricting, Redistricting Prep,
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