Latest news with #2020Census
Washington Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Former US Census Bureau director John Thompson, who guided preparations for 2020 head count, dies
BEND, Ore. — John Thompson, who guided preparations for the 2020 census as director of the U.S. Census Bureau, has died. Thompson died May 9 at his home in Bend, Oregon. He was 73. Thompson was confirmed in 2013 as the Census Bureau's 24th director after being nominated by President Barack Obama. He departed in 2017 following the election of President Donald Trump to his first term but helped lay the groundwork for many of the innovations implemented in the 2020 head count.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Long simmering dispute over Georgia political maps drawn after 2020 Census returns to federal court
Sen. John Kennedy, who chaired the Senate Redistricting Committee, argued during a 2021 special session that the GOP-drawn maps are fair to all Georgians. In 2023, state lawmakers were directed by a federal judge to draw new maps. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder We've passed the halfway point between the 2020 U.S. Census and the 2030 U.S. Census, but the battle over redistricting maps based on the last national headcount is still underway in Georgia. On Thursday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments about whether or not to enact new maps. The dispute stems from a claim that the state Legislature drew up maps that violate the Voting Rights Act and dilute the votes of Black Georgians. In late 2023, the district court struck down those Congressional and legislative maps, and lawmakers returned to the Capitol for another stab at them. Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Redistricting Foundation and the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said Georgia's population growth in the 2020 Census came from minority populations, especially Black Georgians, but she said the General Assembly's maps didn't reflect that and that lawmakers engaged in dirty tricks by eliminating majority-minority districts to draw new ones. 'The state of Georgia robbed Peter in order to pay Paul by enacting these maps,' she said. 'These maps eliminated existing opportunity districts in order to draw so-called new opportunity districts, zeroing out black opportunity statewide. Black Georgia voters who were previously denied their right to equal representation continue to be denied that right, and others had that right revoked altogether on these new maps.' Much of the debate over the maps came down to the state's 7th Congressional District, previously represented by Democratic Congresswoman Lucy McBath, which was redrawn to favor a Republican. Republican Rich McCormick now represents the 7th District, while McBath was elected to the 6th District after defeating fellow incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux. The old 7th's population was not majority Black – the plurality of the population was white, but a combination of minority groups made up the majority. Of the district's voting age population 27% were Black, 21% Hispanic, 15% Asian and about 33% white. In a court document filed last year, attorneys for Georgia argued that the state was obligated to protect majority Black districts, not districts where a coalition of minorities make up the majority, and that efforts to overturn the maps are political sour grapes. 'Their argument proves only one thing: Plaintiffs are upset that the General Assembly eliminated a safe congressional district for Democrats when it created the required new majority-Black district. But the Voting Rights Act 'is a balm for racial minorities, not political ones.' It cannot be hijacked to settle partisan disputes that are fairly decided at the polls,' the state's attorneys wrote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Associated Press
20-03-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Census Dots: A New Interactive Dot Map Reveals the Demographic Makeup of America
Census Dots is an interactive map displaying all 331 million Americans from the decennial census, color-coded by race. Users can explore demographic patterns from national to neighborhood levels. The project revives a similar 2010 map, with future plans to add additional historical and socioeconomic data. BROOKLYN, NY - Census Dots is an updated demographic dot map of the United States, displaying all 331 million Americans recorded in the 2020 Census, color-coded by race. The map is interactive and zoomable, allowing exploration at the national, state, city, and neighborhood levels. Dedicated pages exist for both states and municipalities — for example, Texas or Los Angeles, CA — providing statistics on individual geographies and allowing easy comparison between neighbors. Census Dots intends to make it easier for journalists, researchers, and the public to visualize census data and explore demographic trends across the United States. The Census Dots map was created following the loss of Dustin Cable's popular 2010 Racial Dot Map, which he created at UVA's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Citing outdated data and a lack of resources, the Cooper Center ceased hosting the map in 2022 and it disappeared from the web. 'When the Cooper Center took down the 2010 Racial Dot Map, it left a huge void,' said Luke Loreti, creator of Census Dots. 'I wanted to bring that resource back — updated for the 2020 Census—so people could again explore the data in an intuitive, visually compelling format.' Similar to previous dot maps, the map was created by combining two census data sources: population counts published in the State Redistricting Data and Shapefiles defining the census geographies. The decennial census provides population counts down to the census block level — an area roughly the size of a city block — enabling a high degree of geographic accuracy. The dots within a given census block are placed at random, which is why some dots may appear in unlikely places like parking lots or bodies of water. The data comes together to create an extremely visually striking map, both when viewed at the national scale and when zoomed into individual neighborhoods. It often illustrates the stark divides that persist across much of the country. The Census Dots map launches with data from the most recent decennial census, with plans to incorporate additional datasets and views in the coming months. Future updates will include historical comparisons between census years and additional socioeconomic data layers. The map is optimized for both desktop and mobile use. The project was enabled by the previous work of Dustin Cable, Peter Richardson, Erica Fischer, Brandon Martin-Anderson, and others who have mapped census data. To explore your city, visit . City: Brooklyn State: NY
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Biden-appointed Census Bureau director resigns midway through term
The director of the Census Bureau announced this week he is resigning, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to appoint an ally to lead the agency that plays a crucial role in American politics. Robert Santos' decision comes 'after deep reflection,' according to a letter he sent Thursday, which was obtained by POLITICO. He said he plans to spend more time with family following his retirement. Santos was nominated by then-President Joe Biden in 2021, following a tumultuous few years at the agency. The 2020 Census — which was the decennial count of every person in America that determines the number of House seats each state gets and billions in federal funding — was thrown into chaos by a fight over the first Trump administration's attempt to add a citizenship question and the pandemic. The Census Bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment. NPR first reported Santos' resignation. Trump's 2020 attempt to add a citizenship question to the census failed after the Supreme Court ruled on procedural grounds that the administration could not do so. The Trump administration then planned to otherwise exclude immigrants in the country illegally from the apportionment count — which determines House seats and Electoral College votes for states — but that was also scuttled after the release of the data was delayed into the Biden administration. Historically, post-14th Amendment apportionment numbers have always included people residing in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. His resignation gives Trump the opportunity to appoint a new leader to oversee the agency. Although he won't be in office when the 2030 Census takes place, the Trump administration will have significant sway over how the count is conducted. The White House, Census Bureau and Commerce Department — which oversees the bureau — did not respond to questions from POLITICO last week on plans for the agency, but his first day executive orders gave early signals Trump could revive efforts to push for another citizenship question and try to exclude non-citizens from the count. During his three-year tenure, Santos said he worked to ensure the Census Bureau's work remained nonpartisan and prioritized collecting accurate data on underrepresented communities. In addition to the high-profile count every 10 years, the Bureau produces reams of data on American life that researchers and policymakers rely on. 'Building generational trust across communities and tribal nations is foundational to ensuring our methods, data, and products are timely, of high quality, and relevant,' Santos wrote in his Thursday letter. 'I've seen firsthand how we can provide relevant data to communities to address their needs as defined by their life experiences and perspectives.'
Politico
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Biden-appointed Census Bureau director resigns midway through term
The director of the Census Bureau announced this week he is resigning, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to appoint an ally to lead the agency that plays a crucial role in American politics. Robert Santos' decision comes 'after deep reflection,' according to a letter he sent Thursday, which was obtained by POLITICO. He said he plans to spend more time with family following his retirement. Santos was nominated by then-President Joe Biden in 2021, following a tumultuous few years at the agency. The 2020 Census — which was the decennial count of every person in America that determines the number of House seats each state gets and billions in federal funding — was thrown into chaos by a fight over the first Trump administration's attempt to add a citizenship question and the pandemic. The Census Bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment. NPR first reported Santos' resignation. Trump's 2020 attempt to add a citizenship question to the census failed after the Supreme Court ruled on procedural grounds that the administration could not do so. The Trump administration then planned to otherwise exclude immigrants in the country illegally from the apportionment count — which determines House seats and Electoral College votes for states — but that was also scuttled after the release of the data was delayed into the Biden administration. Historically, post-14th Amendment apportionment numbers have always included people residing in the United States, regardless of their immigration status. His resignation gives Trump the opportunity to appoint a new leader to oversee the agency. Although he won't be in office when the 2030 Census takes place, the Trump administration will have significant sway over how the count is conducted. The White House, Census Bureau and Commerce Department — which oversees the bureau — did not respond to questions from POLITICO last week on plans for the agency, but his first day executive orders gave early signals Trump could revive efforts to push for another citizenship question and try to exclude non-citizens from the count. During his three-year tenure, Santos said he worked to ensure the Census Bureau's work remained nonpartisan and prioritized collecting accurate data on underrepresented communities. In addition to the high-profile count every 10 years, the Bureau produces reams of data on American life that researchers and policymakers rely on. 'Building generational trust across communities and tribal nations is foundational to ensuring our methods, data, and products are timely, of high quality, and relevant,' Santos wrote in his Thursday letter. 'I've seen firsthand how we can provide relevant data to communities to address their needs as defined by their life experiences and perspectives.'
