Phase4_InvitationLetter_20210914_v2

OMB Number: 0607-0988
Expiration Date: XX-XX-2024

<Date>

<PREFIX><FIRST NAME MI><LAST NAME, SUFF>

<TITLE>

Address1

City, State, Zipcode

Dear <SALUTATION><LAST NAME>

The U.S. Census Bureau is preparing to update its MAF/TIGER database (MTDB) with the newly drawn 118^th Congressional Districts (CDs) and post 2020 Census State Legislative Districts (SLDs). SLD plans include SLD Upper chamber (SLDU) and SLD Lower chamber (SLDL), where applicable. The Census Bureau will produce data tabulations from the 2020 Census using these new boundaries. In addition, the Census Bureau will use these boundaries for future American Community Survey releases and geographic data products. Provision of these boundaries to the Census Bureau and participation in the Redistricting Data Program is voluntary.

As in the past, we are requesting you to provide the official CD and SLD plans for your state. We ask that states provide the information in our preferred format (see enclosure) to ensure the accuracy of the boundaries that we will insert into the MTDB. The enclosure contains detailed information about file formats and materials needed to accurately perform this collection of boundaries. These plans may be submitted as a group, or individually as they are completed and made official. To assist you in your work and to assist us in properly maintaining your plans once they are added to the MTDB, we have posted additional documents which are available through our website at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/program-management.html. The first document is a checklist which records each step of the actions described in the enclosure. The second document provides you a method to describe relationships between your districts and other geography. This second document also gives you an opportunity to comment on how and if you want these relationships maintained over time in the MTDB.

We estimate that completing the Redistricting Data Program Phase 4 will take eight hours and Phase 5 two hours, on average. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to rdo@census.gov. This collection has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The eight-digit OMB approval number that appears at the upper right of the letter confirms this approval. If this number were not displayed, we could not conduct this survey. The Census Bureau conducts this program under the legal authority of Public Law 94–171, as amended (Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 141(c)).

We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. If we should be addressing this letter to someone else or including someone else in this process, please let us know. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call (301-763-4039) or email my office at rdo@census.gov. We look forward to working with you on this important project.

Sincerely,

James Whitehorne Chief - Census Redistricting & Voting Rights Data Office

Enclosure

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