U.S. Supreme Court Makes “Surprise” Decision Striking Alabama’s Congressional Map

U.S. Supreme Court Makes “Surprise” Decision Striking Alabama’s Congressional Map

By EditorJun 09, 2023
On Thursday the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Alabama District Court's preliminary injunction against the state's 2021 Congressional map on grounds that it diluted the votes of Black voters in the state in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The 5-4 decision ensures that Alabama's 7 district congressional map, which included only one with a majority of Black voters - will have to be redrawn to include an additional minority Black district. African Americans make up more than a quarter of the state’s population. The decision has implications for Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas as well. It is…
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Census Bureau Releases 2020 Census Results of Racial Identification for the Self-Reported Hispanic or Latino Population

Census Bureau Releases 2020 Census Results of Racial Identification for the Self-Reported Hispanic or Latino Population

By EditorMar 28, 2023
News Release — Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released results showing how people who identify as being of Hispanic or Latino origin (referred to as the Hispanic population) self-reported their race in the 2020 Census. The nonresponse rate to the race question for the Hispanic population decreased from 13.0% in 2010 to 8.1% in 2020, but there were major shifts in race reporting within the Hispanic population compared to the 2010 Census. The data show that the Hispanic population reporting one race decreased from over 81.6% in 2010 to less than 57.8% in 2020. Meanwhile, over one-third of the Hispanic population reported two or…
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Study: Partisan and Racial Representation Outcomes in the 2020 Redistricting Cycle

Study: Partisan and Racial Representation Outcomes in the 2020 Redistricting Cycle

By EditorOct 10, 2022
A recent article published in Publius: The Journal of Federalism, explores and measures partisan fairness, competitiveness, and minority representation in newly enacted redistricting maps across the states. A summary of the results is below. Read the article here. Christopher Warshaw (George Wash. Univ.), Eric McGhee, (Public Policy Institute of California) and Michal Migurski (Planscore.org, USA) are coauthors of this study and they describe their findings with this statement in their abstract: "We find that both parties have enacted increasingly extreme partisan gerrymanders when they control the redistricting process. The combination of Republicans’ control of the redistricting process in far more…
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U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument Audio and Analysis of Pivotal Alabama Voting Rights Act Case

U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument Audio and Analysis of Pivotal Alabama Voting Rights Act Case

By EditorOct 08, 2022
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Merrill v. Milligan regarding Alabama Congressional Redistricting. Listen to the Oral Argument on YouTube. Last January, a three-judge district court in Alabama had agreed that the state’s new congressional map likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. A divided Supreme Court temporarily blocked that ruling in February and after nearly two hours of oral argument on Tuesday, the justices appeared inclined to permanently set aside the district court’s ruling according to Amy Howe of SCOTUSblog. The crux of the state of Alabama's argument is that the…
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A Flurry of Redistricting Activity Happened Over the Holidays. Here is a Recap

A Flurry of Redistricting Activity Happened Over the Holidays. Here is a Recap

By EditorJan 03, 2022
An incredible amount of redistricting activity occurred over the holidays in over 10 states. It's safe to say you missed most of it. Here is your post-holiday update. Map Adoptions 5 states adopted/enacted redistricting maps just before or after the Christmas holiday. This includes 3 independent citizens commissions, 1 state supreme court, and 1 enactment via a governor's signature. Arizona The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission adopted final congressional and state legislative maps on Dec. 22. The 5 member body voted unanimously for the congressional district map and approved the state legislative map on a 3-2 vote.  Click here for interactive maps and media coverage,…
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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Discusses New DOJ Voting Rights Act Guidance at NCSL Summit

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke Discusses New DOJ Voting Rights Act Guidance at NCSL Summit

By EditorNov 13, 2021
Last week, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke spoke at NCSL’s Summit in Tampa regarding the Department of Justice’s guidance on how the Civil Rights Division is approaching Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and their enforcement work this redistricting cycle. Section 2 prohibits discrimination in voting on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. The division looks at plans regardless of whether those plans were adopted by legislative bodies, redistricting commissions, state courts, or other governmental bodies. Watch below. https://www.facebook.com/NCSLorg/videos/1480510388995770/ Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke remarks at NCSL’s Legislative Summit. (Nov. 2021)
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Census Bureau Delivers 2020 Census Redistricting Data in Easier-to-Use Format

Census Bureau Delivers 2020 Census Redistricting Data in Easier-to-Use Format

By EditorSep 16, 2021
SEPT. 16, 2021 — The U.S. Census Bureau today released the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File to states and the public in an easier-to-use format.    These data are now available on data.census.gov. They are identical to those released Aug. 12 on the Census Bureau’s FTP site and in various data visualizations.   The Census Bureau has also delivered to states an easy-to-use toolkit of DVDs and flash drives with integrated browsing software to use in redrawing their congressional and state legislative district boundaries. Topics in both formats include 2020 Census population counts by race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data for counties, places, census tracts and blocks.…
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Justice Department Issues Guidance on Federal Statutes Regarding Redistricting and Methods for Electing Public Officials

Justice Department Issues Guidance on Federal Statutes Regarding Redistricting and Methods for Electing Public Officials

By EditorSep 01, 2021
Press Release: Sept. 1, 2021 Today the U.S. Department of Justice announced the release of a guidance document to ensure state, county, and municipal governments comply with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act concerning redistricting maps and methods of electing governmental bodies following the release of the 2020 Census redistricting data. “The right to vote is the right from which all other rights ultimately flow,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Discriminatory redistricting schemes or election practices threaten that fundamental right and are illegal. The guidance issued today makes clear that jurisdictions must abide by federal laws when redrawing…
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Census Bureau Announces “Early” Release Date for Easier-to-Use Formats for Redistricting Data

Census Bureau Announces “Early” Release Date for Easier-to-Use Formats for Redistricting Data

By EditorSep 01, 2021
Press Release SEPT. 1, 2021 — The U.S. Census Bureau will release easier-to-use formats of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File on September 16. Also on September 16, redistricting data will be available through the Census Bureau’s primary data dissemination tool, data.census.gov. The Census Bureau will also deliver an easy-to-use toolkit of DVDs and flash drives to state officials and public bodies responsible for their state’s legislative apportionment or districting. These data — first released August 12 — are currently available in a legacy format on the Census Bureau’s FTP site. These data are also available through various data visualizations. More information, including links to the…
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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…
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