Speaker McCall appoints State and Federal Redistricting Committee

House State and Federal Redistricting Committee appointed

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House State and Federal Redistricting Committee was appointed Friday to continue the House’s public-focused redistricting process throughout the 2021 legislative session.

House Speaker Charles McCall appointed the 29-member bipartisan committee to establish the formal policies and protocols for House redistricting. After the delivery of final U.S. Census data, the committee will advance legislation containing new districts to the full House for consideration.

“The unprecedented public involvement and outreach completed to date will continue to be the basis of House redistricting going forward,” said McCall, R-Atoka.

The standing committee will base its work on public input gathered by the House’s eight regional redistricting subcommittees, which conducted dozens of town halls across the state to hear from citizens about the composition of districts for the next decade. In a historic move, every House member was appointed to a regional subcommittee to ensure total representation of the full state in the redistricting process.

The State and Federal Redistricting Committee will hold its first meeting next week to adopt policies, protocols and a public map submission process.

Legislature to hold redistricting software demo for Lawmakers and Public

House and Senate to Hold Redistricting Software Demo for Lawmakers and Public

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Oklahoma Senate have planned a bipartisan, bicameral virtual demonstration of the redistricting software, Maptitude for Redistricting by Caliper, that both chambers will use to redraw new legislative and congressional district lines during the 2021 redistricting process.

As part of the Legislature’s transparency efforts surrounding redistricting, the public will be able to watch the virtual demonstration via livestream on the Oklahoma Senate website, https://oksenate.gov/live-chamber.

Tracy Horgan, the director of redistricting services for the Caliper Corporation, will provide a brief demonstration of the software capabilities for lawmakers at 9 a.m., Dec. 14, in Room 535 at the Capitol. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the demonstration will be conducted remotely and in-person attendance by lawmakers will be limited.

The demonstration will be recorded and archived so that lawmakers and the public can watch the software demonstration at a later date, if necessary. Following the demonstration, the House and Senate redistricting office staff will begin a three day virtual training course to learn and refine their skills with the software.

Speakers names all State House members to redistricting committees

All House members named to redistricting committees

OKLAHOMA CITY – In a historic move, all Oklahomans will have direct representation in the House of Representatives redistricting process after House Speaker Charles McCall appointed all House members to redistricting committees Monday.

“House members work directly for the people. Because these are the people’s districts, the House is putting the people in charge of the redistricting process,” said McCall, R-Atoka. “With this approach, more Oklahomans than ever are involved in their redistricting. This process has the highest level of accountability for the people because they directly elect their representatives.”

Eight regional redistricting subcommittees will go directly to the public to ask citizens how House districts should look for the next decade. In-person and virtual town halls, online submissions, citizen surveys and more will be used to gather extensive public input throughout the fall and winter ahead of the 2021 legislative session. Each House member will serve on a regional subcommittee.

Oklahoma Senate leaders announce more details of Senate redistricting process

Oklahoma Senate leaders announce more details of Senate redistricting process

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 23rd) – Senate leaders Thursday announced more details of the process the Oklahoma Senate Select Committee on Redistricting will use as the Senate prepares for redistricting next year upon receipt of data from the 2020 U.S. Census.

The moves will ensure the general public’s role in the upcoming redistricting process in the Senate, said Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

“Redistricting will be one of the most important issues considered by the Legislature next year. The Senate has been working on redistricting for months and we are preparing for the culmination of that work by taking steps to ensure the general public’s role in the process. The Senate is committed to an open and transparent process as we conduct our constitutional duty to draw state legislative and congressional districts in Oklahoma using data from the 2020 Census,” Treat said.

Senator Lonnie Paxton, chair of the Redistricting Committee, said the public will have an important role in redistricting and that the Senate redistricting process will include:

• Public hearings at locations across the state with the opportunity for the public to offer comments at the hearings;
• The public submission of proposed maps of state legislative and congressional districts; and
• Public notice given before action taken by the committee.

If needed, Paxton said the Senate redistricting committee would take steps such as providing remote participation to accommodate social distancing necessary due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said the Senate will also make its resources available to local officials if they so choose to help them draw county commission districts, city council districts, and local school board districts.

“The Senate is committed to transparency in the redistricting process and holding public hearings and accepting maps from the public will help us achieve that goal,” Paxton said.

More details about public hearings and the process for submission of proposed maps by the public will be announced later this year, Paxton said.

Treat emphasized the important role that Census data plays in redistricting.

“Census data from the federal government will be used to draw the new district lines,” Treat said. “The best thing the public can do right now for redistricting is complete the Census.”

To complete the 2020 U.S. Census, visit https://my2020census.gov/.

OK Senate leaders announce bipartisan effort to encourage Census participation

Oklahoma Senate leaders announce bipartisan effort to encourage U.S. Census participation

OKLAHOMA CITY – Both Republicans and Democrats in the Oklahoma Senate are joining the effort to get a full count in Oklahoma in the 2020 Census.

Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, and Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, announced on Wednesday that the Senate is forming a 2020 Complete Count Committee.

The U.S. Census Bureau encourages state and local governments, as well as community, business and faith leaders to form Complete Count committees to promote, through a variety of activities, the importance of a full and complete count in the census. Census data drives the distribution of billions of dollars in federal funds every year for infrastructure, including transportation, as well as education programs, health care and more.

“It is incredibly important that each Oklahoman be counted in the 2020 Census. Increasing our participation rate in the census will provide a more accurate count and has the potential to increase the federal dollars for transportation, education, health care, and other important programs in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Senate and its members will work to encourage higher participation in the 2020 Census through the Complete Count Committee,” Treat said.

In 2010, Oklahoma’s census participation rate was just 75.5 percent. In Texas, the participation rate was 76.5 percent; in Arkansas, the participation rate was 77 percent; while in Kansas, the participation rate was 81.2 percent.

“A complete census count of all Oklahomans is critical for the future of our state,” Floyd said. “When Oklahoma taxpayers send their hard-earned dollars to Washington, they expect to receive a fair share of funding from federal programs in return, but that is not possible without an accurate census count in Oklahoma. This is why members of the Oklahoma Senate are working together on a bipartisan effort to encourage our constituents to participate in the 2020 Census.”

In Fiscal Year 2016, Oklahoma received more than $9.3 billion through 55 federal programs guided by 2010 census data. It is estimated that every person not counted in the census costs the state approximately $1,800 per year in lost federal funding for 10 years. An undercount of just 2 percent could cost the state up to $1.8 billion over a decade.

Census Day will be April 1, 2020, but Oklahoma residents can self-respond to the 2020 Census beginning in early March 2020, via the Internet, by phone, by traditional paper census questionnaire, or in-person with a U.S Census Bureau employee. The U.S. Constitution mandates a full count of the population in Article 1, Section 2. Decennial census counts are used when determining how to allocate federal funds.

For more information, check out the following links from the U.S. Census Bureau:

• Jobs with the U.S. Census.
• The impact of the U.S. Census in your community.
• The importance of Census data.
• Questions asked in the U.S. Census.

Gov. Stitt helps State kick off 2020 Census Complete Count

GOVERNOR STITT HELPS STATE KICK OFF 2020 CENSUS COMPLETE COUNT

OKLAHOMA CITY (August 27, 2019)— Governor Kevin Stitt kicked off the 2020 Census Symposium on Monday, August 26, at MetroTech Conference Center with the announcement of Executive Order 2019-32, which establishes the Oklahoma Census 2020 Complete Count Committee.

“A complete and accurate count of Oklahoma’s population is vital to the success of our state,” said Gov. Stitt. “With this Executive Order, I am directing state government to collaborate with leaders across Oklahoma to encourage participation and ensure that every Oklahoman is counted in the 2020 Census. With everyone’s participation, I believe our state’s population will exceed 4 million people.”

The Oklahoma Census 2020 Complete Count Committee will consist of up to 20 individuals appointed by the Governor who will work to provide recommendations on how Oklahoma can receive the most complete and accurate census count.

In addition to the state committee, the Department of Commerce is working to encourage formation of local Complete Count Committees across Oklahoma.

“The Oklahoma Department of Commerce is coordinating with leaders in all 77 counties to form local Complete Count Committees,” said Brent Kisling, Executive Director, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “These trusted partners have the relationships in their local communities to encourage participation in the hard-to-count geographies and populations. Improving upon the participation rates from the 2010 Census is a large undertaking and will ensure that Oklahoma is not undercounted.”

Census Day will be April 1, 2020, but Oklahoma residents can self-respond to the 2020 Census beginning in early March 2020, via the internet, by phone, by traditional paper census questionnaire, or in-person with a U.S Census Bureau enumerator.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a full count of the population in Article 1, Section 2. The Census Bureau has counted every resident in the U.S. every ten years since 1790.

The Census Bureau does not appropriate funds to the states. However, decennial census counts are used when determining how to allocate federal funds. Because of this, it is extremely important that all Oklahomans respond to the Census.

“Beyond the Constitutional mandate requiring the decennial Census for reapportionment, the 2020 Census will be used over the following ten years as a baseline to distribute federal funding from approximately 300 federal programs,” said Jon Chiappe, Director of Research & Economic Analysis, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “These programs impact the state, tribal nations and our local communities in many aspects of our lives including education, healthcare, housing, and transportation among others. If we are not accurately counted, it will place a burden on our state, tribal and local governments as they provide services to larger populations with fewer federal resources.”

The Executive Order regarding the 2020 Census can be viewed here.

About the Oklahoma State Data Center
The Oklahoma Department of Commerce operates the State Data Center for the state of Oklahoma. A partner of the U.S. Census Bureau, the State Data Center ensures Oklahoma’s citizens, communities, and businesses have access to critical Census data.

Cong. Lucas: Why the 2020 Census is important to Oklahoma

Why the 2020 Census is important to Oklahoma

by Congressman Frank Lucas (R- Okla.)

Shortly after the inauguration of the United States’ first president in New York City, the First United States Congress signed the Census Act of 1790.

Signed into law by President George Washington, Vice President John Adams, and Speaker of the House Frederick Muhlenberg, the Census Act of 1790 called for “the marshals of the several district of the United States shall be, and they are hereby authorized and required to cause the number of the inhabitants within their respective districts to be taken;”.

Since 1790, our nation has taken a count of its population every decade, ensuring that our representative democracy functioned properly and responsibly. Thus, the importance of an accurate count has become invaluable.

In rural areas especially, it is vitally important that accurate counts of the population are recorded in order to provide true and equal representation from our nation’s capitol to the state legislature.

Because of the importance of providing such an accurate count, several states have begun investing in initiatives ensuring that their census outreach programs provide as much of an accurate count as possible.

Similar to how exploration has influenced our nation’s geographical boundaries, time and social influences have also affected the make-up of an ever-increasing population.

Following our Nation’s first census, the needs and interests became more complex resulting in a more detailed process for providing more information regarding our country’s civic, social, and economic well-being.

After the boom of the Industrial Revolution, the U.S. Census of 1810 included detailed commerce data relating to the successes of America’s manufacturing industry. Thirty years later in 1840, the first questions relating to agriculture were introduced- paving the way for what would become the United States Department of Agriculture’s annual Census of Agriculture. And in 1850, questions relating to the influence of our nation’s societal and cultural factors such as taxation, crime, and education were added- ensuring even more detailed data was included for the make up of our federal programs.

Decade after decade, the U.S. Census is a portrait detailing our nation’s economic and social characteristics. And the importance of each survey can not be underestimated.

Since 1790, the U.S. Census has accounted for congressional representation but over time the census has headed additional responsibility in ensuring that our republic truly represent the people.

In addition to shaping representation on the federal level, census figures are used in the apportionment and redistricting at the state and local government level ensuring that equal representation is found on all levels of our government.

Whether it’s allocating federal, state, and local grants, revenue-sharing programs, and even basic research for our academic institutions, the census is vitally important to how we shape our future.

Congressman Frank Lucas represents western Oklahoma's 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.