The year 2020 is unlike any other in recent history, between the pandemic, calls for social justice and the upcoming election. Not to be forgotten in all the hubbub is this year’s 2020 Census. Have you completed the Census and urged your family, friends and neighbors to do the same?
Since 1790, the U.S. Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates a count of the country’s population every ten years. Basic information, including age, sex, and race, is collected for every adult, child and baby living in the country. No inquiries are made about citizenship status, social security number, bank or credit card accounts, solicitation of money or information about your political party. All responses are strictly confidential and protected by law.
Data gathered from the Census helps determine millions of dollars in federal funding for schools, roads, transportation, social services, affordable housing and much more. An undercount means fewer resources will be available to the community. For every person not counted, communities may lose $10,000 per individual over the next ten years. The results also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representations and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
If you’ve not done the Census yet, there’s still time. The 2020 Census can be completed online, by phone, or by mail. Forms were mailed to residents starting in March. In the coming weeks, census takers, following CDC safety guidelines, are canvassing neighborhoods with low response rates. Their goal is to ensure everyone completes the 2020 Census and no addresses are overlooked. If a census taker comes to your home, make sure they have proper identification, including:
- A valid ID badge with their photograph,
- A U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and
- An expiration date.
If you have questions, you can contact your regional census center and speak with a Census Bureau representative. Click here for more details and to share census information.
