08/31/2015
«PREFIX» «FIRST_NAME__MI» «LAST_NAME_SUFF»
«TITLE»
«ADDRESS_1»
«ADDRESS_2»
«ADDRESS_3»
«ADDRESS_4»
«CITY», «STATE» «ZIP»
Dear «SALUTATION» «LAST_NAME»:
In September of 2014, the U.S. Census Bureau invited your state to identify a nonpartisan liaison to work on the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program. I am writing to inform you that we have not yet received a formal response to this invitation. We are asking that you and your colleagues designate the individual(s) who will serve as your state’s nonpartisan liaison(s) in a letter jointly signed by the governor and the majority and minority party leaders of the House and Senate.
Under the provisions of Public Law 94-171 (Enclosure 1), the objective of the RDP is to provide each state with the small area geography, such as election precincts and census blocks, and population totals necessary for legislative redistricting after the 2020 Census. Towards this goal, the Census Bureau through its RDP, offers states the opportunity to provide updates to their congressional, legislative and voting district plans as well as provide suggestions for 2020 Census tabulation block boundaries.
The Census Bureau is currently sending invitations to participate in Phase 1, the Block Boundary Suggestion Project (BBSP), which was announced in a Federal Register Notice on June 26, 2015. (Enclosure 2). The Census Bureau will provide geographic data files for your state by December 31st, 2015. The Census Bureau will also provide access to the Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS) to facilitate your liaison’s participation in Phase 1.
The Census Bureau will provide training, by request of the state liaison or their designee, and support in the use of the GUPS and the non-GUPS methodology. Additionally, the Census Bureau will work with the liaison through all steps of Phase 1 including verification, which will occur one year later starting in December of 2016.
Phase 1 is a voluntary program. If you would like your state to participate in Phase 1, you may indicate this in the official letter designating a liaison, as requested above. Since the communications with the official liaisons have already begun, please fax a copy of this correspondence to our office at (301) 457-4348
If you have any questions, please contact me, James Whitehorne, Chief of the Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office (CRVRDO), at (301) 763-4039.
Sincerely,
James Whitehorne
Chief - Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office
4600 Silver Hill Road, Washington, D.C. 20233
Enclosures
CC
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | mccul001 |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-21 |