WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – The Census Bureau is planning to release population data used to draw congressional and state legislative district lines Thursday. It comes more than four months later than usual.
Some states are already past their deadlines to draw new maps. That means many will have to hold special sessions in the fall focused on redistricting instead of handling it in the spring as usual.
Virginia and New Jersey plan to use existing maps for state elections in November.
Census officials blame the COVID pandemic for delaying the release of neighborhood-level data. It is expected to show population growth in the US has been driven entirely by minorities over the past decade.
The Census Bureau already released data in April Showing which states will gain and lose Congressional seats.
Texas is set to gain two House seats while Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, Colorado and Montana gain one. Seven states will lose a seat.
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