Block Boundary Suggestion Project Guide for County Governments

The BBSP allows local governments to preview the prototype census blocks the Census Bureau envisions using after Census 2030 and suggest adjustments. These census blocks are the core units used to build political districts and voting areas in the subsequent redistricting process.    

A census block is a small area bounded by visible features like roads, streams, and railroad tracks and/or nonvisible ones like town limits. In an urban area, a census block often resembles a city block bounded by streets on all sides, but census blocks in rural or suburban areas may be larger in size and irregular in shape. 

A census block ideally has around 85 residents, but population numbers may be higher or lower (as low as zero). All land in the U.S. belongs to a census block, and census blocks aggregate upward into larger geographies like counties. 

Whole census blocks are the basic geographic units into which residents enumerated in the decennial census are placed and from which a community’s voting precincts and political districts are drawn. Any block boundary not captured in advance of the census cannot be used for redistricting or voting purposes. 

The BBSP is part of the nonpartisan federal Redistricting Data Program (P.L. 94-171) under which the political leadership of a participating state jointly designates nonpartisan redistricting liaisons to work with the US Census Bureau and state-level stakeholders. 

In North Carolina, the two nonpartisan redistricting liaisons will facilitate local reviews of the geographic boundaries proposed by the Census Bureau and the submission of suggested changes to the bureau. 

On April 1, 2026, North Carolina’s nonpartisan redistricting liaisons invited each county to participate in the BBSP via correspondence sent to the director of each board of elections. Counties may participate in spring 2026 or spring 2027. Each county representative will have access to the Census Bureau’s online GIS platform, which contains all the needed information. 

No. The Census Bureau will provide each county’s designated representative with access to its online Geographic Update Partnership Software (GUPS), which contains all the relevant data in an interactive graphical format. A designated county representative can review the prototype blocks, accept them, or suggest changes. The Census Bureau will review suggestions and accept or reject them based on their conformity with program rules and requirements. A software guide and training videos are available online, and technical training will be offered.  
 

For counties that participate in 2026, their reviews will need to be completed by May 22, 2026. Submissions are accepted on a “flow” basis, meaning a county can submit as soon as it is ready. 

For counties that participate in 2027, the nonpartisan redistricting liaisons will reach out in January with updated information. As in 2026, submissions will be accepted on a “flow” basis. 

 

The BBSP is the first of five phases in the nonpartisan federal Redistricting Data Program authorized under P.L. 94-171. The phases are summarized below. 

• Phase 1: Block Boundary Suggestion Project. A process by which local governments can preview the prototype census blocks the Census Bureau envisions using in census 2030 and suggest adjustments to the geographic boundaries.   
• Phase 2: Voting District Project. A process by which local governments can review the areas that are used to administer elections (e.g., precincts, election districts, or wards) and verify those boundaries. 
• Phase 3: Delivery of 2030 Census Redistricting Data. No later than April 1, 2031, the Census Bureau will deliver the population data recorded in Census 2030 and the geographic support products developed in phases 1 and 2 to each state. This is the data political authorities will use to redistrict their states. 
• Phase 4: Collection of the Post-2030 Census Congressional and State Legislative District Plans. After states enact their new districts, the nonpartisan redistricting liaisons will provide that information to the Census Bureau and provide any updates that might result from subsequent legislative actions or court decisions. 
• Phase 5: Evaluation. Nonpartisan redistricting liaisons will provide feedback to the Census Bureau and suggest improvements for use in the Census 2040 cycle.
   

The state’s official nonpartisan redistricting liaisons are Paul Coble, Legislative Service Officer, NC General Assembly, and John Quinterno, Governor’s Census Liaison. Raleigh Myers, GIS Manager, NC General Assembly, is the technical lead.