FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: April 2, 2020
Contact: Jane Lord
Phone 302-827-2299
jtlord1 [at] yahoo.com or sussexlwv [at] gmail.com
For media-related inquiries: Email the Census Bureau Public Information Office at pio [at] census.gov or call 301-763-3030
Still Time to Respond to the Census
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Census Bureau has extended deadlines to keep its workers and the public safe. The new deadline for self-response is August 14. But responding sooner online, by phone, or by mail will save the cost and effort of Census takers to ensure a complete count.
- Your response helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services. According to Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Chair of Delaware’s Complete Count Commission, each person counted brings in over $2,200 to $2,400 per year to Delaware, adding up to millions over the next decade.
- Results from the 2020 Census will also be used to determine your political representation in our state legislature and local government Councils or other governing bodies.
Under the revised plan, nonresponse follow-up is currently scheduled for May 28-August 14. During that period, Census takers will knock on doors and interview households in person but that have not responded online, by phone, or by mail.
Most households received their invitation to respond to the 2020 Census between March 12 – 20. The official Census Bureau mailings included detailed information and a Census ID for completing the Census online. In addition to an invitation to respond, some households also received a paper questionnaire (sometimes known as the census form).
You should be counted where you were living and sleeping most of the time as of April 1, 2020. If you are responding for your home, count everyone who lives and sleeps there most of the time as of April 1, 2020. This includes young children, foster children, roommates, and any family members or friends who were living with you, even temporarily.
However, if someone is staying with you temporarily on April 1 due to the COVID-19 situation, they should be counted where they usually live. This includes college students, who should still be counted at school, even if they are home early because of the COVID-19 situation. If they live in student housing, the college will count them. If they live off campus, they should respond for the off-campus address and include any roommates or other people living there.
If someone is staying with you on April 1 who doesn’t have a usual home elsewhere, please include them in your response.
For help responding, go to https://2020census.gov/en/help.html or call 844-330-2020. At the website, there are phone numbers for those who speak 16 languages. Phone lines are open every day from 7 am to 2 am Eastern Time.
The League of Women Voters of Delaware, a Census Partner, has compiled this information from the official Census Bureau website as a public service to our state.
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