RollCall.com’s Michael Macagnone reports
Pandemic-related census delays have already caused political fallout in one state, with New Jersey’s legislature kicking off the process to delay its legislative redistricting process from 2021 to 2023.
An altered schedule has led the Census Bureau to ask Congress for an extension that could result in delivering the data needed to draw state legislative maps as late as next July, about a month after New Jersey’s planned primary date.
On Thursday, the state Assembly’s Judiciary Committee voted 4-2 to advance a measure that would delay its mapmaking process to 2023, with Democrats arguing that would give the state’s normal redistricting process enough time to come up with a fair map for legislative seats.