A coalition of cities, counties and civil rights groups sued the U.S. Census Bureau last year to stop it from ending the 2020 census early out of fear a premature finish would undercount minority communities.
Now, that coalition is attempting to block the state of Ohio from trying to force the statistical agency, under a new administration, into releasing data used for drawing congressional and legislative districts earlier than planned.
The coalition over the weekend asked a judge to let it join a lawsuit Ohio filed last month in federal court so it could oppose the state's efforts.
Ohio became the first state to challenge the Census Bureau's decision to release redistricting data at the end of September 2021 instead of at the end of this