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Coronavirus & the Census

You Matter. Be Counted. OhioCensus.org

At this time of unprecedented uncertainty, it can seem hard to focus on anything else as we grapple with the coronavirus outbreak. But the 2020 Census remains extremely important for our communities’ long-term wellness and everyone needs to know that virtual and by-mail census operations are still in motion.

You can fill out the Census online or by mail

Your participation in the 2020 Census has impact on you and your community for the next decade, well beyond this crisis, including through community development and political representation.

Completing the Census, either online, on paper, or by phone, does not require any interaction with people outside your household or to leave your house.

Keep an eye on your mailbox for the invitation to participate. The mailer will contain a unique ID tied to your household that will make it quicker and easier for you to complete the questionnaire and for the US Census Bureau to process your answers. The invitation will direct you to my2020census.gov to complete the Census.

How will the Census be impacted by the coronavirus?

Given the current pandemic, the Census Bureau is making adjustments to how they count group quarters (large group living facilities like prisons, shelters, nursing homes, and college dorms), including on college campuses, where many college students have been sent home.

But for the more typical households, completion of the Census should not be impacted by the current situation. While you spend more time from home social distancing, it is a great time to fill out the Census. It should take less than 10 minutes. It may even be a welcomed distraction.

What can I do to help, besides filling out my Census form?

Spread the word by sharing a photo of you with your Census invitation on social media.

Women Have Outsized Stake in Census and Play Key Role in Ensuring a Complete Count

This blog post from the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network originally appeared on the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition‘s website.

Every ten years, the United States Census Bureau conducts a count of the entire U.S. population, known as the census.

The census determines a lot of important information, including government representation and the allocation of critical federal funding for programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. Getting a complete and accurate count is important, especially for women and their families who have a lot at stake in the census – and women will play a key role in ensuring this happens.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all.

One of the most fundamental outcomes of the census is the determination it plays in the allocation of federal funding to the states. In Ohio, there are more than $33 billion dollars in funding for public programs on the line, and many of those programs provide crucial support women and their families need to live healthy and economically secure lives.

For many women, the funding that could be forfeited due to an incomplete census count would jeopardize their family’s health, safety, and financial stability: The mother who relies on federal aid to receive quality child care, allowing her to continue to work and provide for her family. The young woman who receives STI testing and prevention through access to Medicaid. The woman who has turned to Ohio’s network of domestic violence shelters for protection and the help she needs to get her family on their feet.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher.

$675 billion for social programs and services like SNAP and Medicaid, relies on your participation in the 2020 Census
Find more resources for census outreach

There is probably no greater example of the weight of the census for women than Medicaid dollars. Women comprise the majority of the adult Medicaid population – before the passage of the Affordable Care Act and today. Medicaid is a crucial resource for women to access the healthcare they need, and it impacts women’s ability to remain healthy and join or stay in the workforce. Whether it’s pregnancy care, postpartum care, Pap tests, timely blood pressure checks, or other preventative services, women have a lot on the line when it comes to Medicaid funding.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher. Two in five female-headed families with children are living in poverty – that’s nearly 90 percent higher than that of male-headed families with children. These mothers and their children rely on full funding for programs like SNAP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Head Start, and even housing vouchers.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all. Census research indicates that one person often takes the lead in filling out the Census for the whole family. Women, who are increasingly the main caregiver or head of household, are more likely to take the lead in their families. As the 2020 Census approaches, it’s important to recognize the key role Ohio women play and the outsized impact an incomplete count will have on their livelihood and their families.

5 Things Everyone Should Know About the 2020 Census

What’s crucial to fair representation, fair distribution of federal financial resources, and happens every 10 years? The US Census!

Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Having an accurate count of every individual in Ohio ensures that the state receives its fair share of benefits and a strong voice in democracy.

And the great news is that this year, the Census will be easier than ever to fill out. Everyone will be able to either respond online, request a paper copy, or fill it out over the phone. 

2. The Census is used to redraw congressional and state legislative districts.

Since 1790, the Constitution has mandated that a complete count of the US population be taken every ten years to account for population shifts. This helps to reproportion representation to give every individual a voice in our nation’s power structure. 

3. By law, no information collected in the Census can be used against you.

Regardless of legal status, race, gender, sexual identity, etc., your response will not impact any benefits you may receive, nor will it be shared or published in a manner that could identify you or your household in any way.

4. The distribution of $675 billion rests upon complete participation in the 2020 Census.

This money is allocated to financial aid programs such as SNAP and Medicaid, as well as towards schools, hospitals, and roads in YOUR community. See how over $33 billion of federal money is distributed in a single year!

5. Lastly, participation in the Census is mandatory for every single individual, and for good reason.

The data from the Census is used all around you, from businesses using it to determine where to build factories and create jobs, to local governments using the information for public safety and to best prepare for emergencies. 

10 Ways to Support the 2020 Census in Your Community

The 2020 Census is upon us.

This spring, the U.S. Census Bureau will begin its effort to count every resident of the United States, this time relying heavily on the Internet to gather responses, rather than the traditional mailer.

It is a large undertaking. In fact, the Census is the largest peacetime operation conducted by the US Government. That is why all hands are on deck, including national, state, and local government and nonprofit efforts.

Census data is everywhere; it is how a business decides where to locate, how a school pays for lunches, how an old road gets repaved. Congressional districts and state legislative seats are all drawn using Census data.

A complete and accurate count ensures that funding and political representation is distributed as it should be.

Image provided by the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition – https://www.ohiocensus.org/

Every individual has the responsibility to ensure they are counted, but each individual also has the power to ensure their family and community is counted and represented.

Below is a list of 10 recommendations for how activists can support the 2020 Census effort.

1. Educate yourself on the process

Though the Census seems simple enough, the details can be confusing for some. The best thing you can do is ensure you have the answers to those tricky questions for you and for your family. US Census Bureau: Frequently Asked Questions

2. Mark your calendars for Census Day, April 1, 2020!

On April 1st, check in with your friends to make sure they have filled out their Census or have a plan to. Answer any questions they may have about the Census or who in their house gets counted (see #1!).

Image provided by the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition – https://www.ohiocensus.org/

3. Discuss the Census with your local community groups

When you’re attending or participating in community meetings, make sure the Census is mentioned. Whether it is a school board meeting or a neighborhood association meeting, the data gathered in the 2020 Census will impact their funding for the next decade, highlighting the importance of a complete count to their everyday work.

4. Use your social network

Using your own personal social media accounts to share the Census message and ensure they are aware it is coming up helps to instill trust in the process among those who may be wary of the government. 

US Census Bureau: Outreach Materials

Image provided by the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition – https://www.ohiocensus.org/

5. Participate in a Local Complete Count Meeting

Most counties and cities will establish local complete count committees (CCC) that include a cross-section of government, nonprofit, education, business, and other community stakeholders. These CCCs plan efforts to do local Census outreach and ensure their communities are counted.

By attending a meeting or contacting the coordinator, you can learn about local efforts, ensure your community has a plan, and learn how you can plug into efforts. 

US Census Bureau: 2020 Census Complete Count Committees

6. Help identify your hard-to-count communities

Those embedded within a community are those best suited to identify those who will face particular barriers to completing the Census. These communities can often be those who have faced historical disenfranchisement by the government, do not speak English as a first language, or do not have reliable Internet access.

The text of this graphic from the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition reads, "Here's why it matters to be Counted: For every person not counted in the 2020 Census, Ohio loses $1,206 each year for a decade."
Image provided by the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition – https://www.ohiocensus.org/

Working with your local government and local Census Bureau representatives to locate and plan outreach for these communities is extremely helpful. Additionally, if you are aware of any hidden housing units or those homes that may serve as shelter or group-living homes.

7. Volunteer with a local organization to conduct outreach

Many local nonprofits, including libraries and schools, will be conducting their own Census campaigns and events to ensure the communities they represent are counted. Contact your local school, library or nonprofit to see they have planned for the Census and how you can help and support their work.

8. Urge local officials to hold a town hall on Census Day

Encourage your local representatives, mayors, state legislators, or Congressional members, to hold town halls on Census Day at a location that has ample access to computers and the Internet. Here, constituents can ask questions, complete the Census and learn how the Census impacts them.

Image provided by the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition – https://www.ohiocensus.org/

If your local officials are unable to hold a town hall on April 1st, ask them to hold a town hall sometime in the spring to encourage constituents to complete the Census and answer any questions they may have.

9. Add Census messaging to your email signature

Adding a simple reminder about the 2020 Census to your email signature can help remind people of the upcoming count and may encourage others to follow your lead. Sample: Make your voice heard when you participate in the 2020 Census. Your community is relying on you. Visit 2020Census.gov to learn more.

10. Take a part-time job with the US Census Bureau

The Census Bureau is continually hiring Census canvassers in every locality. The most trusted Census employees will be those that look like the community and are their neighbors. If you have additional time in your schedule, apply to be a canvasser for the US Census Bureau so that people who care about the community are the ones ensuring it gets counted! Apply at 2020Census.gov/jobs

To learn more about Census efforts in Ohio, visit ohiocensus.org.

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