Census Bureau to Release Redistricting Data on Aug. 12. Four Days Early.

Census Bureau to Release Redistricting Data on Aug. 12. Four Days Early.

By EditorAug 05, 2021
U.S. Census Bureau Press Release: August 5, 2021. The U.S. Census Bureau will hold a news conference to discuss the release of the first local level results from the 2020 Census. States use these data on race, Hispanic origin, and the voting-age population to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts. The news conference will provide initial analysis of the first local level results from the 2020 Census on population change, race, ethnicity, the age 18 and over population, and housing occupancy status. A live Q&A session with Census Bureau subject-matter experts will immediately follow the briefing…
Census Data and Geography, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, LATEST, NEWS, Redistricting Functions, , , ,
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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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Union of Concerned Scientists Release Report on 2020 Census Data Accuracy

Union of Concerned Scientists Release Report on 2020 Census Data Accuracy

By EditorJul 30, 2021
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 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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Montgomery County Redistricting Commission Clarifies Use of “Draft Maps”

Montgomery County Redistricting Commission Clarifies Use of “Draft Maps”

By EditorJul 24, 2021
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…
Local Redistricting, NEWS, Redistricting
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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

By EditorJul 23, 2021
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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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

By EditorJul 03, 2021
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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Watch: CNN Interview with UC Irvine Law Professor Rick Hasen Discussing Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision in Brnovich

Watch: CNN Interview with UC Irvine Law Professor Rick Hasen Discussing Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision in Brnovich

By EditorJul 03, 2021
In a CNN interview, University of California Law Professor Rick Hasen, author of the popular Election Law Law Blog, explains his take on the Supreme Court's Brnovich decision regarding Section 2 of the Votings Rights Act of 1965. Also below, is his blog post analyzing the decision shortly after the decision was handed down on Thursday. Read the Brnovich opinion here. https://vimeo.com/570075479/cee7c476e7 ELECTION LAW BLOG: Breaking and Analysis: Supreme Court on 6-3 Vote Rejects Voting Rights Act Section 2 Case in Brnovich Case— A Significant Weakening of Section 2 The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, has severely weakened Section…
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