2021 Redistricting Data
| Submitted | Aug. 4, 2021 |
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Communications
From: Andrew Drechsler
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Any raw data that the Virginia Redistricting Commission has used or will use as part of the decennial redistricting process following the 2020 Census to draw draft and/or final district maps for the Virginia House of Delegates, Virginia State Senate, and U.S. Congressional districts, which could include any of the following:
-Primary, general, and special election results for any elections state legislative, US congressional, statewide candidate or ballot measure between 2011-2020
-Primary, general, and special election precinct boundaries for any elections between 2011-2020
-Voter registration and turnout data between 2011-2020
-Incarcerated population reallocation data
-Candidate and incumbent address data
-Population projections
-Voter file data
As well as any other data used by the Commission in preparing draft or final maps.
In addition to the raw data, which means the original data collected before it has been processed, transformed, or otherwise altered, I hereby request any documentation describing how the raw data was collected and processed for use in map drawing, as well as any internal communication among elected officials and/or government employees about data preparation, management, cleaning, formatting, or otherwise changing or manipulating the data, or about map drawing.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
This request is filed by Tom Nash, a citizen of Virginia, in coordination with Andrew Drechsler.
From: Virginia Redistricting Commission
Tom Nash
c/o Andrew Dreschler
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 117263
411A Highland Avenue
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
Dear Mr. Nash:
The Virginia Redistricting Commission is in receipt of your request for
records made in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§
2.2-3700 et seq.). Specifically, you request: *"Any raw data that the
Virginia Redistricting Commission has used or will use as part of the
decennial redistricting process following the 2020 Census to draw draft
and/or final district maps for the Virginia House of Delegates, Virginia
State Senate, and U.S. Congressional districts..."* The essence of the raw
data used by the Commission for the 2021 redistricting cycle is provided by
the United States Census Bureau and it has not been provided as of this
response. The responses below are provided in the context of the list of
possible records that was included in your request.
1. "Primary, general, and special election results for any state
legislative, US congressional, statewide candidate or ballot measure
between 2011-2020."
*Response: *The keeper of the records that you request is the Virginia
Department of Elections. You may reach the Department by regular mail at
Washington Building, First Floor, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond 23219.
2. "Primary, general, and special election precinct boundaries for any
elections between 2011-2020."
*Response:* Attached you will find a zip file including shape files for the
years of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, and 2020. The Commission does not
have information or shape files for the years 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
3. "Voter registration and turnout data between 2011-2020."
*Response:* The keeper of the records that you request is the Virginia
Department of Elections. You may reach the Department by regular mail at
Washington Building, First Floor, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond 23219.
4. "Incarcerated population reallocation data."
*Response:* Attached are two spreadsheets, one containing prisoner data
for state prisons and one containing prisoner data for local and regional
jails. In addition, a copy of correspondence with the relevant state
agencies and correctional facilities regarding prisoner data is also
provided. Regarding the spreadsheets, please be advised that the unique
identifier and street address for each prisoner has been redacted pursuant
to subsection E of § 24.2-314. Regarding the analysis of prison population
data, such analysis will not be completed until census data for Virginia is
released by the Census Bureau. The last indication from the Census Bureau
is that the data will be released by August 12, 2021. After the data is
released to the Commission's consultant, they will make the appropriate
adjustments to it and that adjusted data will be made public.
5. "Candidate and incumbent address data."
*Response:* The keepers of the records that you request are the Virginia
Department of Elections for candidates, the Clerk of the Senate of Virginia
for state senators, and the Clerk of the House of Delegates for delegates.
The mailing address for the Virginia Department of Elections is Washington
Building, First Floor, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond 23219. The mailing
address for the Clerk of the Senate of Virginia is 1000 Bank St, Richmond,
VA 23219. The mailing address for the Clerk of the House of Delegates is
P.O. Box 406, State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia 23218
6. "Population projections."
*Response:* There is no record responsive to your request.
7. "Voter file data."
*Response:* The keeper of the records that you request is the Virginia
Department of Elections. You may reach the Department by regular mail at
Washington Building, First Floor, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond 23219.
Virginia Redistricting Support Staff
Division of Legislative Services
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Julie Smith <jsmith@dls.virginia.gov>
Date: Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 4:49 PM
Subject:
To: VA Redistricting <varedist@dls.virginia.gov>
VTDS.zip
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vnQeOmVRCtzGTQGSpprv3m8uF6eMZU9J/view?usp=drive_web>
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