The Morning Call (Sunday)

Data delays may mean a later start

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This year, with the U.S. Census Bureau behind schedule in releasing population data because of the pandemic and legal battles brought by President Donald Trump’s administra­tion, the redistrict­ing process is likely to take place later than usual.

Michael Li, senior counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice’s democracy program, said census block data that gets down to the street level won’t be available until at least this spring.

A spokespers­on for the House Democratic caucus estimated that delays receiving the census data would push back the map-drawing processes by at least two months, into late spring. Republican leadership did not respond to questions about the schedule for drawing legislativ­e and congressio­nal maps.

Even without census data available, estimates show that — like in 2011 — Pennsylvan­ia will likely lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representa­tives because of declining population­s, putting an end to the 9-9 partisan divide. Where the population has declined will have some influence over which district will disappear, and both parties will try to ensure that one of their members doesn’t have their district absorbed.

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