Meet Justin Levitt
National Demographics Corporation (NDC) Vice President Justin Levitt is approaching his twenty-year anniversary with NDC, so let’s get to know more about Justin!
California’s Voting Rights Act Continues to Force More Local Governments into By-District Elections
In 2011, fewer than 160 California municipalities held elections by district. In 2021, that number exploded to over 500.
Vice President Justin Levitt and Senior Consultant Shalice Tilton to Attend the ACCOC Leadership Conference
NDC Vice President Justin Levitt will head to ACCOC Annual Leadership Conference on Friday, September 30.
Judge Removes Mission Viejo Councilmembers from Office in CVRA Dispute
In Schlesinger v City of Mission Viejo, a judge ruled that three City of Mission Viejo Councilmembers received an unlawful extension to their terms and ordered their removal by September 30.
NDC 2020 Estimated Census Data
NDC built a Census Block level database of estimated 2020 Census total population figures. The database is free to anyone who wants it, with the understanding that these are estimates and no one knows exactly what the 2020 Census data will show. If you are interested, the database -- and the methodology NDC used to build it -- is available here.
2021/2022 Redistricting Milestone
NDC is happy to announce our 50th local government redistricting client for the 2021/2022 redistricting cycle! NDC served 105 Arizona and California local government redistricting clients in 2011. With our recently expanded team we expect to handle many more in 2021/2022. If you are a county, city, school district, community college, or special district, contact us now to find out more about how NDC can assist your jurisdiction with the new rules and timetables for redistricting.
NDC Launches AZ BBSP Program
On the state of Arizona's behalf, NDC is coordinating the state's 2020 Census "Block Boundary Suggestion Program." This is the first opportunity for state, county and local officials to draw the Census Blocks that will be used for the 2020 Census counts, and, in so doing, influence the flexibility to draw precincts and Congressional, state and local election districts that unify neighborhoods while ensuring equal population in each district. Detailed information for county and local GIS participants is available here.
Updated Counts of CVRA-Driven Changes
Update: May 1, 2020 400 Jurisdictions have now switched from at-large to by-district elections since passage of the California Voting Rights Act: 126 Cities 212 School Districts 34 Community College Districts 27 Special Districts (Health Care, Airport, Water, Sanitation, etc.) 1 County (now all 58 California counties are by-district) In addition, NDC is aware of 17 other jurisdictions that adopted "Resolutions of Intent" pledging to make the change to by-district elections once the 2020 Census data is released: 8 Cities 2 School Districts 2 Community College Districts 5 Special Districts While NDC does not have complete counts of the number of by-district school districts or special districts prior to passage of the California Voting Rights Act, we have confirmed that 29 cities were by-district prior to passage of the Act. So the total number of cities using by-district elections has skyrocketed from 29 to 155 in less than 20 years. Note: [...]
Supreme Court Upholds Ruling that CVRA applies to Charter Cities
On August 20, 2014, the California Supreme Court declined to review a Second District Court of Appeal ruling that charter cities are vulnerable to litigation under the California Voting Rights Act. The ruling is the latest in the City of Palmdale's ongoing CVRA litigation, Jauregi vs. City of Palmdale, S219809. The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Santa Clarita Signal all ran stories on the ruling. The ruling only covers a few issues involved in the Palmdale case. The main appeals debate on the case is not yet scheduled. The Superior Court's award of nearly $3.6 million to the plaintiff attorneys remains in limbo until the resolution of the appeal.
NDC quoted in California Voting Rights Act article
NDC President Douglas Johnson is prominently quoted in the Orange County Register's in-depth coverage of the California Voting Rights Act and the Act's impact on Orange County jurisdictions.
