Coalition Calls for Citizens, Community Groups’ Input on New District Maps

The first batch of 2020 Census data came out this week, with population counts and an announcement of the number of representatives each state will have for the next decade, but key block-by-block information for drawing new voting district maps will be delayed until the fall.

Good-government groups said that delay means it is as important as ever to get the public engaged in the redistricting process.

Beth Huang, executive director of Massachusetts Voter Table, a partner of the Drawing Democracy Coalition, said it’s really important the Census Bureau have the time and space to make sure data used to draw maps is as accurate as it can be.

In the meantime, she encouraged citizens and community groups to make their voices heard about what ties their communities together at upcoming public hearings.

map

“Is there a similar workplace? Is there a similar set of cultural holidays that people celebrate? Are there any socioeconomic factors that are similar for a community?” Huang suggested as questions to ask.

More than seven million people call Massachusetts home, according to the new data, a 7.4% increase from 2010, and the largest increase in the Northeast, which also means the Commonwealth will continue to have nine representatives in Congress.

Huang noted the Census Bureau is working hard to ensure an accurate and fair breakdown, in spite of former President Donald Trump’s attempts while in office to undermine the census, first by trying to add a question about citizenship, then by aiming to exclude undocumented immigrants from the count for apportionment, both of which ultimately failed.

She pointed out the districts drawn this year will be the foundation for elections for the next decade, and they need to ensure a one-person-one-vote system.

“We know that there are many historically marginalized populations that have not been represented authentically in the statehouse, in city halls and in Congress,” Huang asserted.

She added it’s an opportunity to make democracy more participatory by bringing as many people into the redistricting process as possible.

The post Coalition Calls for Citizens, Community Groups’ Input on New District Maps appeared first on Sunshine Slate.



source https://www.sunshineslate.com/politics/coalition-calls-for-citizens-community-groups-input-on-new-district-maps/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Garden Offices | The Ultimate Work from Home Solution for 2021

Image
The Pros and Cons of Working from Home Working from home was not so long ago considered a perk of the job, however, the much-longed-for 30-second commute, for many of us, has finally become a realisation. Prior to the global pandemic, we would have spent 492 days of our lives commuting to and from work and inevitably, Covid-19 has brought about a catalyst of change. Businesses are now seeing the benefits of reducing costs by giving up office spaces, and with commuting now significantly reduced, one of the biggest winners out of this situation is the environment. With this in mind, there’s no doubt that the “new normal” of home working is, quite clearly, here to stay. The general consensus is that working from home is wholly positive and can provide a better work-life balance. Whilst this is true, there is evidence to suggest that this can be quite the opposite, with staff working later than usual as they battle to “switch-off” when their working day is over. So, what’s the solutio...
Read more

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Roof Gutters

Image
The rainy season is already here and along with a hot cup of tea and sizzling yummy snacks in your dish, you should also plan to upgrade your rain roof gutters. Unlike earlier, the task is easy, you can take the help of gutter installation services or gutter repair services in your locality or many such services are available online also. You should have been upgrading your Rain Roof gutters before the arrival of monsoon so as to enjoy the rains without worry. If you think that you don’t need any gutter repair services, let us give you the 7 reasons that prove you wrong. Why Do You Need a Gutter system? According to leading siding and windows contractors in USA, if you want gutter systems? So that it will help lessen water and dampness damage to our homes. But why? Won’t that water just move off my roof structure? Problem solved, correct? Wrong — that’s part associated with the problem: Modern homes are created to preserve or “trap” vitality. That’s good. Although, in the method,...
Read more

Magical And Unforgettable 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas

Image
Life is too short to be happy and too long, to be sad. In all these difficulties and hurricanes, we try to steal some happy moments. There are some special dates in our life, which forces us to be happy. And the memory of those happy days, make us smile in every difficult situation. Today, we are talking about one of the most important days of our life. We are talking about the anniversary, and its 1 st anniversary. You know, 1 st thing is always special for us. So today, I will give you some ideas for the 1 st -anniversary gift. You both will cherish the memory of the 1 st -anniversary gift your whole life. And you know, these gifts you can order online, and also get from the nearby markets. Anniversary bouquet I know, you must be thinking, what’s new in it. Everyone gives bouquets, and how can we cherish it? So don’t take too much stress, and read carefully. Bloomsvilla has a mesmerizing collection of anniversary bouquets. So order your better half favorite flower bouquet. I mea...
Read more