NCSL Redistricting Seminar: Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 24-27, 2019

Optional: Vendor Rooms

Optional: A Demographer Looks Ahead

• Redistricting is driven by shifts in the nation's population. Hear from an expert on how America has (and will) change, demographically speaking.
• Speaker: D'Vera Cohn PowerPoint

Option A: Let's Start from the Very Beginning

• If you are new to redistricting, start here and learn a little bit about everything.
• Speaker: Jeff Greenfield and Alexis Stangl PowerPoint
• Alexis Stangl Presentation at 2019 Legislative Summit
• NCSL's Redistricting Starter Kit
• NCSL's 2019 Legislative Summit: Redistricting Basics

Option B: Preparing Your Database

• There's more to preparing redistricting data than waiting for the Census Bureau to send you state a file. Find out what other data sources might be helpful and how your state can integrate them.
• Speaker: Karin Mac Donald PowerPoint

Left, Right and Center: Where Are We Now, Legally Speaking?

• It's the 10th year of this decade, and the litigation beat goes on. Hear people on the political left, right and center discuss the key rulings that all redistricters must keep in mind as we enter the next decade.
• Redistricting Case Summaries | 2010 - Present
• Redistricting and the Supreme Court: The Most Significant Cases

Communication 101

• NCSL's Mick Bullock, director of public affairs, will share insights into communicating about politically fraught topics - especially redistricting.
• Speaker: Mick Bullock's PowerPoint

Lunch and Learn: Ohio's Bipartisan Process

• Learn from Ohio's legislative leaders how the Buckeye State negotiated two new processes this decade (one for congressional maps and the other for legislative maps). Both times, both parties played a big role - and they will both have big roles in 2021 as well.
• Summary of Ohio's Legislative Redistricting Process
• Summary of Ohio's Congressional Redistricting Process

Redistricting Principles and Criteria: What Are They and How Do They Interact

• Compactness, contiguity, communities of interest, competitiveness - learn what these and other redistricting principles require. They don't operate in a vacuum, so we'll see how they interact with each other and how they can be measured.
• Speaker: Amy Becker PowerPoint
• Speaker: Peter Wattson PowerPoint
• Resources:
  • Districting Principles for 2010 and Beyond
  • List Order for Districting Principles
  • Congressional Plan Comparison
  • Minnesota's 2012 Congressional Plan
  • Favoring or Disfavoring a Political Party
  • How to Draw Redistricting Plans that will Stand Up in Court

Legislative Privilege and Litigation

• Everyone needs to know: What are the rules and procedures relating to redistricting negotiations? What materials are likely to be "discovered" in post-redistricting lawsuits? What procedures are recommended for retaining documents and documenting processes? Note that federal and state guidelines differ.
• Speaker: Steven Ogle PowerPoint
• Redistricting Law 2020: Executive Summary

Is Your Plan Defensible?

• New redistricting plans are likely to face legal challenges - so plan ahead. Learn what you can do to ensure your plan stands up in court.
• Redrawing Maps the Right Way, State Legislatures magazine

Option C: Staff Talk Tech

• Hear from experienced staff about how to create an RFP for redistricting software, set up a redistricting shop and provide members with advance information so they are ready when the data arrives.
• Speaker: Mark Stratton PowerPoint
• Colorado RFI
• NCSL's Redistricting Starter Kit

What to Look for When Looking for Software

• Do you need a soup-to-nuts service provider who builds your database and produces your maps, or will your own staff play the primary role? How will software integrate with your state-specific needs, such as you principles and what kinds of maps you'll need?
• Speaker: Glenn Koepp PowerPoint
• Redistricting Technology: What to Think About As The Next Cycle Approaches (webinar)

The Vendors Speak

• Speaker: Kim Brace PowerPoint
• Those in the redistricting marketplace will demonstrate a couple of key features of their software and answer your questions:
  • Esri: Richard Leadbeater
  • Citygate GIS: Fred Hejazi
  • Maptitude from Caliper Corporation: Tracy Horgan and Howard Slavin
  • Zillioninfo: Ella LI
• Redistricting Vendors

Public Software

• Whether a state provides a public access system for submitting plans, outside organizations are planning on doing so. These may be available to create maps that will be submitted to the state for consideration, or to judge maps the states create. Learn what is likely to be available.
• Speaker: Moon Duchin PowerPoint

Census Outreach

• While the federal government is wholly responsible for paing for and conducting the decennial census, many states are spending money or at least lending a hand on census outreach.
• Speaker: Karen Narasaki PowerPoint
• Census Outreach - National Get Out the Count (GOTC) Hubs
• NCSL's Census 2020 Legislation and Resources
• NCSL's Census Talking Points for Legislators

The Census Itself: Option A: Census Fundamentals (for beginners)

• If you don't know what a P.L. 94-171 file is, this session is for you.
• Speaker: Thomas Morton PowerPoint

The Census Itself: Option B: The Census (for experienced census users)

• Differential privacy, the latest on citizenship data and residency rules - oh my! Come with questions for Census Bureau staff.
• Speaker: James Whitehorne PowerPoint

Veterans Talk Through Drawing a Map

• Two experienced redistricters will show you how they approach drawing maps: where they start, what matters most, when the last pieces fall into place and how they know they've done a fine job.
• Paul Mitchell and Chandra Sharma PowerPoint

Option B: The History of Redistricting and How to Communicate With the Public About It

• Learn about the history of redistricting, aka the "political thicket" and learn about the emerging field of public input, as well as how to effectively communicate key redistricting information to newly elected legislators as well as the public
• Speaker: David Stebenne's History PowerPoint
• Speaker: Jerry Howe PowerPoint
• Jerry Howe PowerPoint from 2017 Legislative Summit: Boston
• Speaker: Joe Kolman PowerPoint
• Joe Kolman: Montana Districting Story Map, Montana Story Map and EQC Options for Bird Dog Regulations

Odds and Ends

• So many important topics, and so little time! We'll quickly address:
  • Cybersecurity as it relates to redistricting
  • The hand off of lines from redistricters to election administrators
  • The recent North Carolina case, Common Cause v. Lewis, including a run-down on "free and equal" clauses in state constitutions.
• Speaker: Matt Masterson PowerPoint
• Speaker: Meagan Wolfe PowerPoint
• Speaker: Robert Tucker PowerPoint

Redistricting, Explained Graphically

Matt Orley, of Big Paper Strategy, created graphic recordings for some of the sessions at NCSL’s Columbus redistricting seminar. These serve as visual notes to key points and tips offered by presenters. These graphic recordings are available on this blog post that summarizes the Redistricting Seminar, graphically speaking.