This repository holds materials for the collection of precinct shapefiles and their linkage with MEDSL precinct returns.
download_shapefiles.sh: Bash script for downloading partnership shapefiles from the Census Bureauread_shapefile_data.R: R script for inspecting voting district data in partnership sahpefiles
Redistricting Data Program:
A decennial census program that permits state officials to identify selected map features they want as block boundaries and specific areas, such as voting districts, for which they need census data.
Voting District:
Any of a variety of areas, such as election districts, precincts, legislative districts, or wards, established by states and local governments for voting purposes.
The 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program:
The 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program provides states the opportunity to delineate voting districts and to suggest census block boundaries for use in the 2020 Census redistricting data tabulations ... In addition, the Redistricting Data Program will periodically collect state legislative and congressional district boundaries if they are changed by the states. The program is also responsible for the effective delivery of the 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data prior to April 1st, 2021, one year from census day. The program ensures continued dialogue with the states in regard to 2020 Census planning, thereby allowing states ample time for their planning, response, and participation.
The Voting District Project:
The Voting District Project, Phase 2 of the 2020 Census Redistricting Data Program, provides states the opportunity to submit their voting districts (ex. wards, precincts, etc.) for inclusion in the 2020 Census Redistricting Data tabulations (P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data)... These actions allow states to construct some of the small area geography they need for legislative redistricting... Phase 2 is conducted in three parts. The first two parts are an initial identification of the voting districts and a verification stage to ensure the suggested updates were accurately applied. The third stage is an additional round of verification, for those states participating in the first two stages, to further review and adjust the voting districts.
Prototype blocks:
In order to facilitate those states wishing to use their 2010 Census voting districts (VTDs) as a starting point for their 2020 Census VTDs, we included an approximation of those 2010 VTDs in the Phase 2-VTD annotation materials. Voting District boundaries are always held as census tabulation block boundaries. As a consequence, the 2017 prototype block file currently being provided used the boundaries of these older VTDs as blocks regardless of any block boundary suggestions previously provided. If you see any prototype blocks that do not appear to follow the suggestions submitted during the Block Boundary Suggestion Project, please evaluate the "CBBFLG" field in the attribute table for the edges layer to see if your flags were correctly applied (1 = Must Hold, 2= Do Not Hold). The interference from the 2010 VTDs will not be part of the final prototype block file that will be provided with the subsequent Phase 2- VTD verification materials in January of 2019.
Sources: