Fifteen Republican governors sent a letter Tuesday to the U.S. Department of Commerce urging that the U.S. Census Bureau release redistricting data as soon as possible, saying further delays would hurt efforts to redraw congressional and legislative districts.
The letter addressed to Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo said the governors recognize the difficulties associated with completing the decennial Census during the coronavirus pandemic, which has postponed release of redistricting data until mid-August.
But the letter also said the ongoing delay puts states “in a nearly impossible situation to redraw lines prior to the 2022 election cycle” in U.S. House and state legislative districts.
The governors asked that redistricting data be released this month or as soon as possible.
“Further delaying the release of redistricting data negatively impacts redistricting efforts nationwide, places state governments in an unnecessarily precarious position, and presents compounding delays in operations at every level of government,” said the letter to Raimondo, an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden.