UPDATE October 2, 2020: ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge ordered the Census Bureau to text every 2020 census worker by Friday, letting them know the head count of every U.S. resident is continuing through the end of the month and not ending next week, as the agency previously had announced in violation of her court order.
The new order issued late Thursday by U.S. District Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, instructed the Census Bureau to send out a mass text saying an October 5 target data for finishing the nation’s head count is NOT in effect and that people can still answer the questionnaire and census takers can still knock on doors through October 31.
UPDATE September 20, 2020: In a lawsuit filed by the National Urban League and the League of Women Voters U.S., Lucy H. Koh of the United States District Court in Northern California has halted the early deadline to complete counting the results of the 2020 Census. The count was due to conclude a month early, in September, but Judge Koh halted the Trump Administration’s plans to end the counting. As a result of the lawsuit, a hearing was scheduled for last week to determine when the counting will cease and when the Census Bureau will prepare the series of reports that go to the Executive Office. However, the Justice Department missed a deadline for producing documents. The hearing had been rescheduled for next week.
According to CNN, “Meanwhile, a similar federal lawsuit based in Maryland is gaining steam as plaintiffs’ attorneys with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC prepare for a Monday hearing on their request to extend the census schedule.”
And “Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are also working to try to adjust the census schedule in what could be the final days of counting. This week, a bipartisan group of senators introduced last-minute legislation with deadline extensions that they hope can be passed by the end of this month.”
Every 10 years, the Federal government is required to count every person residing in the U.S. through a national Census. Among the many areas where the Census numbers determine outcomes are boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts. An accurate and complete count means you are helping make the best possible future for your children and families.
National Census Day was April 1, 2020, but you can still complete the census online at www.my2020census.gov or by phone by calling 844-330-2020.
You have until September 30, 2020 October 31, 2020 to be counted.
In mid-July, census takers begin interviewing households that had not yet to respond to the 2020 Census. According to www.2020census.gov, “the Census Bureau is working to complete data collection as quickly and safely as possible, while ensuring a complete and accurate count as it strives to comply with the law and statutory deadlines. All offices are scheduled to complete their work by September 30, 2020.”
COVID-19 has affected operations but Census takers follow local public health guidelines when they visit and help people complete a paper questionnaire.
The statutory deadline to provide complete apportionment counts is December 31, 2020.
California has historically been the hardest-to-count state in the nation. Three out of four Californians belong to one or more groups that tend to be undercounted. But participating in the Census is safe. There is NO CITIZENSHIP QUESTION on the Census questionnaire. “The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. In fact, every employee takes an oath to protect your personal information for life,” according to their website.
Federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by gender, age, race and other factors. Information from the Census is used by local government officials, real estate developers, businesses, and residents use the Census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.
For more information, visit https://2020census.gov/en.html
Get Counted.
Cathie Gentile
Faith-based Census Coordinator
