What you need to know about the 2020 census
The U.S. Census Bureau started collecting responses to the census in remote regions of Alaska in early January. But the census count is still weeks away for the rest of the country.
The census happens every 10 years and is mandated by the Constitution. It counts the total number of people in the country and where they are living on April 1.
“There are nine quick questions, it’s not going to take very long for people to complete the census,” said Linda Gladden, a media specialist for the U.S. Census Bureau responsible for Missouri and Arkansas. “They can complete it online, they can complete it on paper, or they can call it in.”
What does the census ask?
The census asks how many people live in a specific household. The person who responds must count the number of people who are or will be living in their home on April 1. It also asks more detailed information about each person living there, such as age, gender, race, if they’re of Hispanic or Latino origin, and their relationship to the responder.
The form also asks for the phone number of the person who responds to the census, Gladden said.
“The only reason we ask for that is if we have to contact you to follow up and ask any questions,” she said.
Finally, the survey asks if the home is rented, owned or has a mortgage.
Will I be asked about my citizenship?
No. After initially pushing for a census question about citizenship, the Trump administration dropped the issue in 2019. In addition, courts permanently blocked the administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
How will I be contacted?
The bureau solicits responses to the census by mail. Letters are sent to individual households the Census Bureau has identified. Residents can expect those letters in the middle of March, and they contain instructions for how to respond. And residents can respond as soon as they get the letter; they don’t have to wait for April 1.
“It’s not going to be emailed out; they’re not going to call directly,” said Lisa Mersinger, community development coordinator for Madison County. Mersinger leads the county’s efforts to achieve an accurate count.
Once a household completes the survey, it will not receive any more communication from the census bureau, unless there are follow-up questions. A home will receive at most four more letters asking for a response before a census worker visits the address in person.
Why is responding important?
The results of the census determine how many congressional seats each state gets. It also is the framework for how federal funding and grants are alloted.
“There’s $675 billion that’s distributed nationwide, statewide based on that census data,” Gladden said. “Everyone in every community is impacted by that funding and by the representation.”
Read more: What’s At Stake With The 2020 Census In The Metro East?
How can I know to trust the government with my information?
All responses to the census — online included — are kept secure and confidential, Gladden said.
“The minute they hit the send button, that information is transmitted to the Census Bureau,” she said. “The information is encrypted. People should not be concerned about any of the data leaking out to other places.”
It won’t turn over any information that could be used for policing or residential enforcement. Gladden said census workers — even temporary ones — are sworn to keep any information about the count confidential.
“Everyone who works for the Census Bureau has to take an oath,” she said. “That oath doesn’t end once my employment with the Census Bureau ends. That is an oath I take for life.”
I’m concerned about being scammed.
With a campaign as large as the census, there will be people who try to use it to scam others. Mersinger listed a few tips on how to spot a census scam.
“They should not ask you to make a donation of any kind, ask you to support a political party or threaten jail time to get you to complete the census,” she said.
The survey also does not collect any sensitive information, like a Social Security number, or times when household members leave or return from work, she added.
Official census workers will have IDs with their names and pictures, as well as a watermark showing they work for the U.S. Department of Commerce, Mersinger said.