Census 'Redistricting' Data Delayed Six More Months

The U.S. Census Bureau announced on Friday that it will delay the release of population data by up to six months, with a new deadline of September 30th. The data is used for 'redistricting' - redrawing states' legislative boundaries, and Covid is blamed for the postponement.

The Bureau had planned to the data, due under Public Law 94-171, by March 31st. In a statement (www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/statement-redistricting-data-timeline.html ) the body said 'COVID-19-related shifts in data collection and in the data processing schedule' have set the timetable back many months but will at least mean that data for all states is delivered at one time, rather than being drip-fed through.

The data includes counts of population by race, ethnicity (Hispanic or Latino origin), voting age, housing occupancy status, and 'group quarters population', all at the census block level. The Bureau says it has been in close contact with official nonpartisan liaisons in each state to understand the impact of the delays, and notes that states have been able since 2019 to access data tabulations from the 2018 Census Test, along with supporting software, to help them plan out redistricting. In addition, the Bureau said it had on Friday completed the release of all states' 2020 Census geographic products needed for redistricting, allowing them to act quickly once the population is finally through.

Web site: www.census.gov .