CLC filed this comment opposing the Census Bureau’s attempt to collect state administrative records, such as Department of Motor Vehicles data, for the purpose of producing data on citizen voting-age population (CVAP). President Trump has suggested that by producing statistics on the CVAP of each census block in the United States, the Census Bureau will enable states to draw voting districts that deny representation to non-U.S. citizens and minors. However, CLC argues that even if this type of redistricting were acceptable in the abstract (which it is not), it could not be accomplished using the data the Census Bureau plans to produce. The Bureau’s CVAP estimates will be too unreliable for redistricting, in part because state administrative records on citizenship are notoriously outdated and riddled with errors. Moreover, the Bureau’s collection of state citizenship records puts the 2020 Census at risk by stoking fear of the Bureau among non-U.S. citizens and their communities.

On November 25, 2019, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan Southern Division issued an order denying a preliminary injunction. 

Voters Not Politicians' motion to intervene was granted in the Daunt v. Benson case by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

CLC filed this comment in response to disturbing evidence that the U.S. Census Bureau might provide less transparency about the accuracy and fairness of the 2020 Census than it did for past censuses. In recent decades, the Bureau has used data from its post-enumeration survey to calculate and publish estimated undercounts and overcounts for the U.S., for each state, and for large cities and counties within states. But according to documents disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, the Bureau might not publish these coverage estimates for counties and cities after the 2020 Census.

These sub-state coverage estimates are critically important. When different parts of the same state are undercounted at different rates, the disproportionately undercounted communities lose their fair share of state funding and representation in statewide politics. Without sub-state coverage estimates, these communities may not know that they have suffered these injuries, and therefore will have less opportunity to advocate for policies that level the playing field. Suppressing sub-state coverage estimates also limits the ability of census advocates to engage in get-out-the-count efforts targeting historically undercounted areas. The Census Bureau therefore should publish sub-state coverage estimates, and should make sure it collects sufficient data to do so.

CLC submitted this request under the Freedom of Information Act to the U.S. Census Bureau. The request seeks documents related to the Census Bureau’s current attempt to obtain state government records related to driver licenses. The Bureau intends to use these state records to help compile data on how many voting-age U.S. citizens live on each census block. However, CLC is concerned about this plan because records on citizenship status held by state driver-license agencies are often outdated and inaccurate. CLC therefore filed this FOIA request to investigate why the Bureau wants driver-license records, how expansive the Bureau’s request for these records is, and what decisions the Bureau has made about the role these records will play in compiling citizenship data.  

CLC’s founder and president Trevor Potter delivered remarks reflecting on the state of redistricting reform in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 2019 decision in Rucho v. Common Cause.

On September 19, 2019, Voters Not Politicians filed a brief in opposition to the motion for preliminary injunction. 

On September 19, 2019, Voters Not Politicians filed a brief in opposition to the motion for preliminary injunction. 

On September 19, 2019, Voters Not Politicians filed a brief in support of the motion to dismiss.

On September 19, 2019, Voters Not Politicians filed a brief in support of the motion to dismiss.