In This Episode

The 2020 census was rife with problems. The outbreak of COVID-19 postponed the use of in-person census-takers for several months. Millions moved to avoid infection or because they lost their jobs to the pandemic. A court battle over the Trump administration's attempts to add a citizenship question, and a failed government contract to print census forms, delayed the printing of those forms and other materials. The pandemic also exacerbated the geographical, cultural, and language barriers associated with hard-to-count communities, including immigrant and minority populations who fear law enforcement.

All of those challenges delayed the release of the results.

The census count of the population determines a state's number of congressional seats, the allocation of federal dollars to each state and the shape of legislative maps approved by state lawmakers, or what's known as redistricting. In Ohio, the process of drawing those maps was set to get underway in a more bipartisan and transparent process. But the delayed release of census data has run up against constitutionally mandated deadlines. How best to move or meet the deadlines have widened the partisan divide.

In this episode of Dear Ohio, Spectrum News 1 anchor Curtis Jackson explains how the 2020 census intersects with redistricting, immigration and the Mexican-American holiday of Cinco de Mayo, a confluence of issues and events that could have far-reaching implications for the future of the state for years to come.              

About the Podcast

Our political system can feel like a complicated and gridlocked machine that we have little ability to influence. The truth is, you CAN change things when you know how. Enter Spectrum News 1 Anchor Curtis Jackson, who brings to the table decades of experience covering political news and events. Join him for meaningful conversations with decision-makers that will give you the tools you need to make your voice heard on the most important issues we face in Ohio.

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