Block Boundary Suggestion Project
January 2016
Phase 1 of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program is the Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP), which provides state liaisons the opportunity to submit suggestions for the 2020 Census tabulation block inventory. Phase 1 is conducted in two parts, an initial identification of the updates needed, and a verification stage to ensure the suggested updates were accurately applied.
The Census Bureau periodically adds new features and modifies their existing block boundary lines based on geography corrections and changes to landmarks and boundary lines that may no longer meet the block boundary line requirements. BBSP allows states the opportunity to review these additions and modifications, as well as suggest new block boundary lines in areas of growth or in areas that limited the creation of voting precinct and legislative district shapes in the past. In addition, Phase 1 offers the opportunity to suggest new legal boundary updates as well as updates to other geographic areas.
The Secretary's Office worked with city and town liaison's in 2016-2017 to preserve block lines as needed and helped to reduce block lines where not necessary (such as such as water blocks or traffic medians). As part of this process, we requested local assistance with the review of all block lines, and subsequent identification of block boundary lines that had to remain, including challenging any lines that the U. S. Census Bureau intended to eliminate.
Voting District Project
January 2018
Phase 2 of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program is the Voting District Project, which provides states the opportunity to include their voting districts for inclusion in the 2020 Census Redistricting Data tabulations (P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data). In addition, states have the opportunity to submit suggested legal boundary updates as well as updates to other geographic areas. These actions allow states to construct some of the small area geography needed for legislative redistricting.
Phase 2 is conducted in three parts. The first two parts are an initial identification of the voting districts, and a verification stage to ensure the suggested updates were accurately applied. The third stage is an additional round of verification, for those states participating in the first two stages, to further review and adjust the voting districts.
Delivery of the 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data Files and Geographic Products
August 2021
Phase 3 of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program is the Delivery of the 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data Files and Geographic Products. The Director of the Census Bureau, in accordance with 13 U.S.C. 141(c), furnished the states with 2020 Census population counts for standard census tabulation areas (e.g., state, Congressional district, state legislative district, American Indian area, county, city, town, census tract, census block group, and census block) regardless of a state's participation in Phase 1 or 2. In addition, for those states participating in Phase 2, standard census tabulation were provided for voting districts.
Collection of Post-2020 Census Redistricting Plans
January 2022
Phase 4 of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program is the Collection of Post-2020 Census Redistricting Plans. After receipt of the official redistricting data, the 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (PR) began redrawing and adopting their post-2020 Census congressional and legislative district plans. During Phase 4, the Redistricting Data Program invites the 50 states, DC, and PR to provide those newly adopted congressional and legislative district plans to the Census Bureau.
Phase 4 is conducted in two cycles, the initial delineation cycle and the verification cycle. During initial delineation, states have the opportunity to provide their newly adopted plans to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau loads the newly adopted plans into their geographic database, extracts the newly adopted plans from the geographic database, and sends the redistricting plans back to the states for a final verification. During verification, the states have the opportunity to review, provide feedback, and approve the redistricting plans as reflected in the Census Bureau's geographic database. Once the plans are approved by the states, the Census Bureau will use these new boundaries in upcoming data products from both the 2020 Census and the American Community Survey (ACS). This process is repeated for each congressional session, collecting any congressional or legislative boundary changes that have occurred since the previous collection.
2020 Census Redistricting Data Program and Recommendations for 2030
TBD
To be determined.
