• U.S. Census

The U.S. Census

The U.S. Census and Why It Matters in Redistricting:

Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution requires the federal government to conduct a nationwide census every ten years, counting every person residing in the country.  

The data collected during the Census is crucial, providing necessary information to inform government programs, policies, and decision making. The Census data determines the distribution of congressional seats to states, and informs how trillions of dollars in federal funds are distributed to local, state and tribal governments each year for public health, education, and transportation. 

How the Census Shapes Redistricting & The Electoral College:

The process of allocating congressional seats to states following the census results is called apportionment. States that experience population growth may gain seats, while those with population declines may lose seats. For example, the 2020 Census revealed that Texas added 4 million new people in the last decade, with 95% of population growth driven by communities of color. As a result of that growth, Texas gained two congressional seats. 

Apportionment also affects the number of electors each state gets in the Electoral college, as the number of electors each state receives is equal to the number of representatives from that state in the U.S. House plus two (the state’s two U.S. senators).

The Census and Federal Resources:

Additionally, the census also shapes how federal resources are allocated to our communities. From affordable housing to public transportation, an accurate census count is crucial to ensuring every American family has the resources it needs. 

Attacks on the Census:

Trump and Republicans have been attempting to manipulate and undermine the census. 

During his first term, President Trump attempted to manipulate the census data by trying to add a citizenship question, but was stopped in court in 2020. 

Now in 2025, they’ve reignited the effort to exclude noncitizens from the count and discourage immigrant communities from participating. Tactics like this are wholly partisan and only aim to manipulate the numbers.

The NDRC is committed to ensuring that the census data is both collected and used accurately and fairly.