2030_Liaison_Solicitation_Letterhead

<DATE>

<SALUTATION> <FIRSTNAME> <MI> <LASTNAME>

<ADDRESS>

<CITY>, <STATE>, <ZIPCODE>

Dear <TITLE> <LASTNAME>:

I am writing to invite you to identify a non-partisan liaison to work with the U.S. Census Bureau on the 2030 Census Redistricting Data Program.

Although the next census is five years away, the planning for the 2030 Census and the 2030 Redistricting Data Program (RDP) is well under way. The RDP offers each state an opportunity to help define the 2030 census blocks and to provide congressional, state legislative and voting district boundaries and codes for inclusion in the 2030 Census Redistricting Data tabulations. For further information regarding the 2030 Redistricting Data Program, please reference the enclosed Federal Register Notice issued this past summer.

Under the provisions of Public Law (P.L.) 94-171 (enclosed), the Census Bureau is obligated to furnish information on this program to “the officers or public bodies having initial responsibility for the legislative apportionment or districting of each state…” To the best of our knowledge, the officers or public bodies with this responsibility in your state are those to whom we are sending this letter (CC List, enclosed). We are asking that you and your colleagues designate the individual(s) who will serve as your state’s non-partisan liaison(s) to the Census Bureau’s RDP in a letter jointly signed by the governor and both the majority and minority party leaders of the House and Senate. To assist you in selecting your non-partisan liaison, please reference the enclosed 2030 Non-Partisan RDP Liaison Role Description. In some states, you may have a statute that dictates what person or office must hold this role. Please still provide the signed letter informing us if that is the case. If there have been recent changes to your leadership, please provide the updated information to the Redistricting & Voting rights Data Office at (301) 763-4039 or at <rdo@census.gov>.

Once your non-partisan liaison(s) is established, we will begin working with them on planning a state Redistricting Data Program kick-off meeting for the fall of 2025/spring 2026. In the past, representatives of the Governor, Office of the Secretary of State, representatives for the majority and minority parties for the House and Senate, state election directors, state and local election officials, planning officials and others have been invited, at the discretion of the liaison. Training for the liaisons on participation in the RDP will also commence during this timeframe.

Participation in the RDP is voluntary. P.L. 94-171 requires that state participation be non-partisan. If you have any questions, please contact James Whitehorne, Chief of our Redistricting & Voting rights Data Office, at (301) 763-4039 or at <rdo@census.gov>.

Sincerely,

Robert L. Santos

Director

Enclosures

Federal Register Volume 89, Issue 131 (July 9, 2024) pages 56287-56288

Public Law (P.L.) 94-171 Approved December 23, 1975

CC List

2030 Non-Partisan RDP Liaison Role Description

census.gov