Friend,

The Hill is reporting that a “potentially lengthy delay in the 2020 Census due to the coronavirus pandemic has thrown the decennial redistricting process into uncertainty.”

Clearly, carrying out an accurate census is more difficult this year because of the public health emergency. So the Census Bureau has requested more time. But here’s the problem: Under the proposed timeline, 2020 Census data will not be delivered until after the redistricting process is supposed to kick off in many states next year. That means some states may try to or be pushed to hold elections on old maps in 2021, or rush through creating new maps without any public engagement. That’s unacceptable.

That’s why we’re calling on the Census Bureau to release their 2020 population data on a rolling basis, as they’ve done in past years. Will you add your name to our petition?

The NDRC is watching this situation very closely. We know Republicans will be trying to take advantage of every opportunity to skew the redistricting process. We know they may even try to use inappropriate, and likely inaccurate, data on the number of U.S. citizens -- rather than the total count -- to draw districts that will unfairly allow them to keep their hold on power.

But we’ll be fighting them every step of the way. And you can help right now, by signing our petition. Tell the Census Bureau to release their 2020 population data on a rolling basis next year, as they have in the past.

-- Team NDRC