Congressional Districts and State Legislative Districts

115^th Congress and 2016 State Legilsative Districts

Census Redistricting Data Program, Phase 4

Congressional & State Legislative Districts

Participant Instructions

States will use the Public Law 94-171 data delivered to legislative leadership and Governor’s offices during March 2011 to prepare materials to be submitted to the Census Bureau. Once we receive these materials and get the information inserted into our geographic database, you will receive verification materials to certify that we have inserted your information correctly. The following are instructions for providing this information to us.

Timing

• States receive invitation: No later than November 28^th, 2015

• States’ submissions received: No later than April 18^th 2016

Submit the Following Materials

1. A block equivalency file (BEF) representing Congressional Districts (CDs) and State Legislative Districts (SLDs) by whole 2010 Census blocks

• A separate file is required for each entity type; one for CDs and one for SLDs.

• Include in the name of the file, the state name or abbreviation and either CD115 or SLD. For example; in Maryland CD115_MD.txt.

• All files must be in comma delimited ASCII format, zero filled, and formatted as follows.

NOTE: These files should contain a record for every 2010 census tabulation block in your state, including all water blocks. If water blocks are not assigned they will be given a “ZZ” code for unassigned congressional districts and a “ZZZ” code for unassigned state legislative districts.

Congressional District Files

Field Name Length

State FIPS code…………………………………………………………..2

County FIPS code………………………………………………..........3

Census Tract…………………………………………………………......6

Census Block…………………………………………………..............4

Congressional District code…………………………..……………2

Example: 09,013,020192,3005,01

State Legislative District Files

Field Name Length

State FIPS code…………………………………………………………….2

County FIPS code………………………………………………...........3

Census Tract………………………………………………………….......6

Census Block…………………………………………………...............4

Senate District (upper chamber) code (SLDU)……….......3

House District (lower chamber) code (SLDL)……………….3

Example: 09,013,020102,3005,011,003

2. If your state CD and SLD boundaries DO NOT follow 2010 Census blocks, we require more information. Please submit:

   • A map, shapefile, jpeg, tiff, or PDF depicting the boundary where it divides a Census block.

   • A listing of all 2010 Census blocks (State, County, Tract, Block) that include more than a single CD or SLD (“split blocks”), those CD or SLD codes, and also indicating the single CD or SLD the state wishes to assign to that block for 2010 Census data tabulation purposes. The Census Bureau cannot tabulate 2010 Census data for split blocks. For tabulation purposes, the whole block must be assigned to only one CD, SLDL and SLDU.

Note: The CD or SLD assignment for the block in the BEF should match the assignment in this listing.

3. Population totals – To assist us in verifying the accuracy of the boundaries that we have inserted into our geographic database, please provide:

   • A list of the official 2010 Census population totals identified by your state for each CD, SLDL and SLDU.

   • A list of the counties or county equivalents in your state that are split by a CD, SLDL or SLDU boundary and the 2010 Census population associated with each in each county.

4. SLD names – The state also may submit state legislative district names at this time. We request two separate files for this purpose, one for house (SLDL) names and one for senate (SLDU) names. All files should be in comma delimited ASCII format. Include in the name of the file the state name or abbreviation and either “house” or “senate”. For example: “IL_senate_names”. The format of these files is as follows:

SLD Names Files

Field name Length

State code…………………….…………………………………………….2

SLDU or SLDL code……………………………………………………..3

SLDU or SLDL name………………..………………………………….60 (maximum)

Example: 17,006,State Senate District 6

5. Relationships between SLD and CD boundaries and other geographic boundaries

As we update our databases with your state’s congressional, senate and house districts, we will discover many situations where other boundaries have changed since the 2010 Census. These changes will not be reflected in the 2010 Census data we tabulate for the new plans that you submit under this project.

However, as we move forward throughout the decade, we will need to know how to manage any permanent relationships that the CDs and SLDs have to other governmental unit boundaries such as incorporated places and county subdivisions. Providing us with this information would be very helpful to us in maintaining your boundaries.

If your CDs and/or SLDs have relationships to other governmental boundaries, please inlcude this information in a text document. Please include the title “Update and Maintenance of Congressional and State Legislative District Boundaries Coincident to Other Geographic Entities” and your state name.

6. State legislation documenting your legislative and/or congressional district boundaries.

7. A Check List is provided as a tool to help ensure that you have provided all the information we need, and so that we can check that we have received all the information you intended to submit.

Submitting Materials

To submit this information, send an email with the appropriate listings and files enclosed (and zipped as needed) to this email address: [email protected]. The RDO will acknowledge receipt via email.

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