DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Kim Reynolds joined 14 other Republican governors led by Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson to issued a joint letter urging the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, to release the 2020 Census redistricting data as soon as possible.
The governors highlight how the nearly half a year delay in the release of data leaves their states unable to redraw district lines prior to the 2022 election cycle.
They noted that Republican governors, state and local leaders fulfilled their duty to help ensure a complete Census, the delay in the release of the data from the Biden administration will have a significant detrimental effect on the ability to draw accurate district lines for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Additional signatories to the letter include Governors Kay Ivey of Alabama, Doug Ducey of Arizona, Ron DeSantis of Florida, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Mike Parson of Missouri, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Doug Burgum of North Dakota, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, Greg Abbott of Texas, and Mark Gordon of Wyoming.
“Districts for the U.S. House of Representatives cannot be drawn until the data has been released. Districts for state legislatures also cannot be drawn until this data has been released. Districts for county, parish, township, and municipal governing bodies cannot be drawn until states have had the opportunity to draw congressional and state legislative districts. Lastly, districts for school district seats cannot be drawn until county, parish, township, and municipal governing bodies have had the opportunity to draw their own respective districts,” the governors’ letter reads in part.
“As a result of such negative impacts to our constitutional responsibilities, we seek the release of redistricting data as soon as possible—and in line with traditional timelines—so that states may begin to perform important redistricting tasks on behalf of our constituents,” it adds.
Read the full letter below:
Joint-Letter-on-Census-Data-Delay-6.22.2021_
