During March, the Census Bureau released redistricting figures for states and counties. State and county-level data were released in small groups throughout the month.

Redistricting data from Census 2000 can be found on the Census Web page at www.census.gov. The data released includes the population by state and by county, and also by race and age. Additional data will be released throughout the rest of the year. The data release schedule can be found at http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/c2kproducts.html.

American FactFinder is a new search device that the Census Bureau created so Internet users could create their own tables and maps displaying data of interest. Although paper copies and CD-ROM will be available for users, the American FactFinder will make this data available to everyone with Internet access.

Originally released nearly three years ago, FactFinder was criticized for its level of difficulty and was closed down in September 2000. After an overhaul, which created a much more user-friendly process, it was installed online again just in time for the release of Census 2000 figures.

It can be found by clicking American FactFinder on the Census Bureau homepage. The FactFinder can be used to create tables about your county and any other counties of interest using the newly released census data. Plans for the map section include the ability to prepare county-level maps using the recently released statistics, but only state maps can be created at this time.

Counties across the country have been anxiously awaiting the release of these new population counts. Among the many uses of the data is county redistricting.

Many counties have experienced tremendous growth during the last decade and that growth has not been spread evenly throughout the county because of where development occurred.

Counties discovered that their district lines, accurately drawn to evenly represent the population distribution after the 1990 census, are not so accurate anymore. In addition to population growth, many counties have experienced growth in the diversity of their population making timely redistricting of paramount importance.

The timetable for county-level redistricting varies greatly, but for counties facing fall 2001 elections, it is imperative that they get started as soon as possible upon complete release of redistricting data. Redistricting will be much easier for counties with even-year elections, since they will be able to study the data and, in some cases, wait for the additional demographic data releases scheduled for later this summer.

Drawing county lines in the redistricting process can be a touchy matter legally. U.S. Supreme Court decisions following the redistricting after the 1990 Census have provided a new shape to how redistricting must be done. It is not a job for novices.

In order to keep your county from winding up in hot water or even worse — in court — it is wise to be aware of the right way and the wrong way to draw district lines. There are many professionals in the field, including lawyers who specialize in redistricting. There are also several Web sites on the Internet that address redistricting issues. The Census Bureau has published online training modules on redistricting data that are called Public Use Data Modules that can be accessed at http://www.census.gov/mso/www/rsf/index.html.

In addition, the National Conference of State Legislatures has established a comprehensive Web page on redistricting laws and data that can be found at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/legman/elect/redist.htm.

Several citizens groups have developed guides to redistricting, generally at the state level, but which discuss the legal requirements as they have been determined by court decisions. The Center for Voting and Democracy has developed a Web site that provides a state-by-state introduction to redistricting in each state. Although this directly outlines state redistricting, it can be helpful at the county level. It can be found at http://www.fairvote.org/redistricting.

There are also several state specific Web pages that address redistricting. In addition, places like the Southern Regional Council, located in Atlanta, Ga. can provide assistance. The Southern Regional Council has developed a system for voting rights review and a redistricting process that can be conducted online.

One of its primary goals is the inclusion of all segments of the population in the redistricting process and therefore it requires a commitment to public involvement from all users of its free online redistricting process and assistance. Participants must register and be scheduled for an opportunity to work with the Southern Regional Council online. To register, go to http://www.southerncouncil.org/frep-d.html.

Redistricting at both the state and local level is an extensive process. In the 1964 Wesberry v. Sanders decision, the Supreme Court held that “as nearly as is practicable, one person’s vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another’s.”

Later that year, in the Reynolds v. Sims decision, the Court ruled that “state legislative districts must be as nearly of equal population as practicable.” These guidelines and subsequent guidelines in cases such as Shaw v. Reno, decided since the 1990 Census, hold local and state redistricting to a higher level of accountability than ever before.

(Research News was written by Jacqueline Byers, NACo director of research.)