2000 Redistricting Timeline

1995-1998	Phase 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project § States allowed to suggest features on census maps that they wanted the Census Bureau to maintain during the establishment of census block boundaries. § Boundaries used to provide population totals to the states.
1998-2000*	Phase 2: Voting District (VTD) Project § The Census Bureau invited states to participate in Phase 2. All states, whether or not they participated in Phase 2, later received population counts for census blocks, block groups, tracts, towns, and counties. States that participated in Phase 2 also received population counts for local VTDs. § Participating states were required to draw districts according to the Bureau's technical criteria, including conformity to census block boundaries. § The Census Bureau sent to the participating states census maps and electronic files showing all features (e. g. , roads, rivers, ridge lines) that were used to create census blocks for tabulating population totals for redistricting. § States had several months to outline their election districts (i. e. , VTDs) using the features shown on the maps and files and to return the maps and files to the Census Bureau for incorporation into the geographic database used to take the census.
2001	Phase 3: Delivering the Data § The Census Bureau delivered the following data to the states: population totals by race, Hispanic origin, and voting age, and census maps showing blocks, census tracts, counties, towns, cities, and county subdivisions. Phase 2 participating states also received population totals and maps for VTDs. § Comparable geographic TIGER/Line® files were also provided to the designated state officials under P. L. 94-171.
2002-2003	Phase 4: Collection of the Post-2000 Census Redistricting Plans § The Census Bureau collected state legislative district and Congressional plans (drawn using the Phase 3 materials). § The Census Bureau produced both geographic and data products and materials for Congress and Congressional District data summaries and maps.
2002-2004	Phase 5: Evaluation and Recommendations for Census § States reviewed the successes and failures of the Census Bureau to meet the requirements under P. L. 94-171. § The Census Bureau produced the final report incorporating states' views for the Census 2010 program.

1996	Phase 1 mapping completed.
June 1998	Received and accepted invitation from the Census Bureau to join Phase 2 of the program. Top four legislative leaders signed the acceptance letter.
March 1999	Hired a consultant to perform Phase 2 mapping and entry and preparation of election returns from previous four cycles. (Contract #1: Election Data Services)
Summer 1999	Legislative leadership determined organizational structure for redistricting. Issues included: common purchase of computer equipment and software, support role of nonpartisan staff, assigning caucus staff, and whether to hire a consultant to assist in the preparation of the election return and VTD database.
January 26, 2000	The Office of Legislative Management (OLM) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for redistricting software.
March 20-24, 2000	Software vendors who responded to the redistricting software RFP demonstrated their products.
April and May 2000	Chose redistricting software vendor.
April 1, 2000	Census count taken.
May 18, 2000	OLM requested legislative leadership approval to award redistricting software contract. (Contract #2: Digital Engineering Corporation)
July 2000	OLM issued RFP for a vendor to input returns from the 2000 election and for services intended to reduce the likelihood that the General Assembly's redistricting plan would be challenged successfully in court.
July 2000	First caucus staff redistricting software training.
August 15, 2000	Deadline for vendors to respond to 2000 election returns RFP.
September 6, 2000	OLM awarded contract for 2000 election returns RFP. (Contract #3: Election Data Services)
Late March 2001	The Census Bureau provided the following Census 2000 Redistricting Data per PL 94-171: § population data for VTDs (for Phase 2 participants) § population data for counties, places, county subdivisions, towns, census tracts, block groups, and blocks
Late February - Early March 2001	Reapportionment Committee appointed in accordance with Article Third, § 6 of the Connecticut Codified Constitution.
March 21, 2001	Reapportionment Committee organizational meeting. (Established public hearing schedule and designated the Office of Legislative Research (OLR) to receive public inquiries and OLM to review project budget. )
April and May 2001	OLR and the Office of Information Technology Services constructed preliminary Reapportionment Committee Website.
May 18, 2001	OLR submitted website proposal to caucuses for their approval.
June 2001	Caucus redistricting offices built and ready for occupancy.
June 28, 2001 to July 17, 2001	Reapportionment Committee public hearing schedule: 1. June 28, New Haven 2. July 10, Waterbury 3. July 11, Bridgeport 4. July 12, Norwich 5. July 17, Hartford
September 15, 2001	Deadline for the General Assembly to adopt the Reapportionment Committee's report.
September 25, 2001	Governor appointed eight members designated by the top four legislative leaders to the Reapportionment Commission. The eight appointed members selected the ninth member.
November 26, 2001	The Reapportionment Commission submitted the Senate and House plans to the secretary of the state.
November 30, 2001	Deadline for Reapportionment Commission to file the plan with the secretary of the state if the General Assembly failed to meet the September 15 deadline.
December 21, 2001	The Reapportionment Commission submitted the Congressional plan to the secretary of the state.