Leading up to, on, and after Census Day (April 1, 2020), LWVDE plans to work in coalition with multiple partners to help get everyone counted. We’ll do this as part of our work on the LWVUS People Powered Fair MapsTM (PPFM) project. Interested? Contact sandyspence325 [at] gmail.com. Include PPFM in the subject line.

Each of us is an important source of information about the 2020 Census. It is up to us to ensure that our friends and family know the facts and are not deterred from participating in the 2020 Census. Here are some facts:

• The Constitution requires counting all persons – not just all citizens. The citizenship question will not be on the 2020 Census form and individual data won’t be linked to any of these records.

In fact, the Census Bureau is not allowed to release individual data or personal responses to anyone, for any purpose—including to other government agencies or law enforcement. This means filling out your census form is still safe and secure. The Brennan Center for Justice has an excellent report on confidentiality. 

• Among its many purposes, the Census is used in redistricting Congressional, state and local legislative bodies, including school boards.
• According to Sen. Tom Carper at a recent news conference, “Delaware is closing in on a million people. And we are very close to a magic number that would enable us to have not just one U.S. representative, but two.”
• A correct census could not only allow for more representation in Congress, but also bring more funding into the state.
• Census data is used in distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually. Delaware gets approximately $2,000 per resident. In 2010, approximately 5,000 Delawareans did not fill out the census form -- roughly $10 million of federal funding that did not come into the state. 
• Responding to the Census will help ensure that our state and local governments get our fair share of federal funds for programs like Medicaid, SNAP, Head Start, unemployment benefits, Section 8 housing vouchers, programs for seniors and veterans with disabilities, and school lunch programs.
• It also helps ensure that our communities have enough money to build roads, hospitals, and schools.

Accurate, comprehensive data is also used by private industry for such purposes as helping determine where companies bring new jobs.                                                                       

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting thousands of people across the country to assist with the 2020 Census count. Interested? Click the link Bureau's link.