Page:Geographic Areas Reference Manual (GARM).pdf/319

 of mutually exclusive territory. Even in the 1970s, precincts in some Mississippi counties were places such as schools or fire stations, at which eligible citizens in the county could register and vote.

The geographic problem has become much more complex and technically difficult, if not profound, in recent years because of court requirements of precise population equality. Similar court requirements relate to treatment of racial minorities and concern with such matters as contiguity of territory and compact shape. The need for population equality has led to questioning the use of precincts as building blocks. Because they rarely coincide with census enumeration areas, adequate population data for them is lacking.” In planning for the 1980 census, the Census Bureau focused on trying to improve the usefulness of its data for precincts by providing programs designed to allow census enumeration area boundaries to coincide with precincts, thereby making census data for precincts more readily available to data users. To do this, the Census Bureau first had to evaluate the 1970 programs, data, and data products relevant to election precincts, and then develop recommendations based on surveys of interested data users.

After the 1970 census, the Census Bureau sent a copy of the Master Enumeration District List (MEDList) and census maps to appropriate officials in each State legislature for their use in redistricting. The MEDList included all 1970 EDs and block groups (BGs) by State, county, MCD or CCD, place, and census tract or block numbering area (BNA); the MEDList also provided the population and housing unit counts for each entity. Many States experienced problems in using the MEDList and maps in relation to their election or legislative areas because the boundaries of the census entities often did not coincide with the State or local voting district boundaries. Recognizing this and other deficiencies, the Census Bureau decided that two major goals for the 1980 census would be to improve, where possible, (1) the boundaries of its small-area geographic entities used for redistricting decisions, and (2) its associated data and data products. Voting Districts14-3