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Census 2000 Redistricting Data Program

Elections & Redistricting

Overall Timeline

PHASE 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project.........1995-1997

Late 1995 through late 1996: Participating states submit specified electronic files and/or annotated census map sheets designating suggested features for use as census block boundaries.

Late 1996 through early 1997: Using maps and electronic files from the Census Bureau, participating states verify block boundary suggestions accepted by the Census Bureau.

(NOTE: Census Bureau submits to Congress list of subjects planned for Census 2000 questionnaires by April 1, 1997)

(NOTE: Office of Management and Budget announces decision on race/ethnicity categories in mid-1997)

PHASE 2: Voting District Project..........1998-1999

Late 1998 through early 1999: Participating states receive census block boundary maps and specify the (whole) blocks that make up their voting districts (e.g., election precincts). As in Phase 1, states can submit this information by annotating paper block maps or submitting electronic "equivalency" files (e.g., Precinct A is made up of whole census blocks 1001-1004).

Late 1999: Participating states can verify the voting district boundaries submitted to the Census Bureau.

(NOTE: Census Bureau advises Congress of wordings of each planned Census 2000 question by April 1, 1998 "Dress Rehearsal Census" conducted April 4, 1998 in Columbia, SC; Sacramento, CA; and Menominee Reservation, Wis.)

Census Day April 1, 2000

*PHASE 3: PL 94-171 Data Delivery..........Jan - March 2001

Census director transmits the 2000 Census P.L. 94-171 data and maps (paper and electronic) to the governor and majority and minority legislative leaders in each state.

NOTE: As it did for the 1990 Census P.L. data delivery, the Census Redistricting Data Office will query each state in 1999 to ascertain which states face tight redistricting deadlines in their 2001 legislative sessions. Using that feedback, we will make every feasible effort to sequence the processing of the P.L. 94-171 data according to the relative timing needs of the states, as we did in early 1991.

* The Census Bureau's goal is to provide states with a test version of the P.L. 94-171 products in April 1999, using data collected in the 1998 Dress Rehearsal Census. These test products will reflect the planned formats and data content of the official 2000 Census P.L. 94-171 Products and afford states time to develop and test systems they will use to process the actual PL data when it arrives in early 2001.

For more information contact the Census 2000 Redistricting Data Program.

For more information on Redistricting - contact Tim Storey elections-info@ncsl.org.