An urgent episode investigating how the mechanics of counting people and drawing districts can reshape the nation. We unpack a Harvard analysis showing the Census Bureau’s Disclosure Avoidance System (DAS) and the use of differential-privacy “epsilon” methods introduced in 2020 produced biased block counts that have practical consequences for redistricting and federal funding. Then we tie that to a high-stakes Supreme Court fight over race-based redistricting now before the justices — a ruling that legal experts say could shift as many as ~19 House seats and materially change control of Congress. The hosts explain what all this means for representation, budgets, and everyday American voters — and why a technical formula ended up being a political weapons system.

[1]: https://imai.fas.harvard.edu/research/files/Harvard-DAS-Evaluation.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Impact of the U.S. Census Disclosure Avoidance System ..."

[2]: https://systems.cs.columbia.edu/private-systems-class/papers/Abowd2022Census.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The 2020 Census Disclosure Avoidance System TopDown ..."

[3]: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-supreme-court-hear-case-that-takes-aim-voting-rights-act-2025-10-15/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "US Supreme Court to hear case that takes aim at Voting Rights Act"