The Census counts

In uncertain times, the decennial census rears its old head.

Fiorella Recchioni

In the days following March 12, hundreds of millions of Americans opened their mailboxes to find an invitation to complete the historical 2020 Census.

It is expected that this year’s census will record the largest population count in U.S. history. This count occurs every ten years by the Census Bureau, a part of the Department of Commerce, and is crucial in guiding the government, as the distribution of federal funding and number of seats each state has in Congress are determined by the Census.

For everyday residents, the importance of the Census is often overlooked - every response counts. The goal is to collect an accurate record of every individual in the United States to then generate statistics that will determine where billions of dollars of federal funds go. This plays a key role in whether communities will receive more or less funding than in previous years and therefore affects public services such as schools, roads and hospitals. How communities respond to the Census can affect even the smallest parts of society, such as what food students will eat in their school cafeteria.

“I think that if there’s a demand for something, it’s a really good way to find out what your society needs on a local level, state level or even nationwide level,” junior Izzy Rines said. “There’s more to it than just being a number, it’s about affirming yourself in who you are, where you are and what you need.”

The Census can be completed in one of three ways: phone, mail or online. Every household in the U.S., regardless of citizenship status, is expected to complete the Census. The questionnaire asks primarily how many people live or stay at an address. Information about each individual within the household also needs to be provided, including name, age, date of birth, relationship, Hispanic origin and race. Details about housing units such as if it is owned or rented are also needed. Those who take the Census can rest assured that this information is guaranteed to be confidential by Title 13 of the U.S. Code and can only be used for statistics.

This is the first year that the Census was offered through an online questionnaire. As such, millions of Americans logged on to complete the Census online, and world history teacher Cory Vance was one of them.

“It is more efficient because you have time to view the questionnaire and answer the questions,” Vance said. “Like any new system, it has glitches but overall was easy to complete.”

April 1 was nationally observed as Census Day, a reference day for those completing the survey as the Census Bureau collects information on who resides in certain households on this specific date. Although households are advised to complete the Census as soon as they receive the invitation, responses are typically collected through August. Due to circumstances related to the global spread of coronavirus, this window may be extended to Oct. 31 to ensure that everyone is accounted for.

“I think it’s pretty important for people to answer the Census,” sophomore Sofia Figueras said. “It dictates how much money a community needs and where that money needs to go.”

The first census can be traced back to 1790 and was conducted by U.S. marshals and assistants to estimate a population of 3.9 million. The last census from 2010 estimated a population of 308.7 million.

The 2020 Census technically began in January, as it is tradition to start counting rural Alaska early due to inefficient mailing services. The occasion was marked by census director Steven Dillingham riding into Toksook Bay, Alaska, on a snowmobile to personally knock on the door of the first household to be counted.

As with most of the world though, the Census Bureau was not fully prepared for the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this year’s census is aimed to be completed through primarily phone, mail or online, census workers are still needed to go door-to-door to track down those who were not able to complete the Census through the main methods or those who avoided taking it altogether. Because of this, the Census Bureau is requesting a 120-day extension from Congress for several deadlines and re-evaluating ways to conduct follow-ups on those who were not counted.

It is more important than ever before to take the time to complete the 2020 Census and ensure that as many people as possible are accounted for when shaping the future of the United States.