The 2020 Census is just around the corner. Are you ready to be counted?
In April 2010, there were 308,745,538 people living in the United States. This was an almost 10% increase from the previous census that was taken just 10 years earlier, in 2000. In Butler County, there were 368,130 people, with 62,477 living in Hamilton and 42,510 in Fairfield. With the 2020 Census fast approaching, it’s anyone’s guess just how much those numbers will have changed when the final count is announced at the end of the year.
While information regarding the census has been made readily available thanks to the internet, there are still many who may not know what the census is, or why it is important. Article 1, Section 2 of the US Constitution mandates that a full count of all persons living in the United States be taken every 10 years. This count has been taken every decade since the implementation of the census in 1790. In addition to acting as a population count, the statistical data gained from the completion of the census questionnaire is used for many other countrywide purposes including apportionment, redistricting, and federal fund distribution.
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 seats to be divided among the states. While every state is guaranteed at least one seat, some states are given more based on their population. This is called apportionment and that’s where the census comes into play. For example, in the 2010 census, Texas was given four additional seats based on its population increase while other states lost seats, like Ohio and New York, each with a two-seat loss. The new numbers from the 2020 census will determine how many seats will be added or subtracted for each state, and these final numbers will lead to redistricting.
Redistricting is the redrawing of the geographical boundaries from which voters elect their representatives. This process is completed after a decennial census for multiple reasons. New districts are created or eliminated if the number of seats allowed for a particular state is changed through the apportionment phase. Even if the number of districts remains the same from one census to the next, the districts are redrawn to ensure that each district has equal populations.
Each year, more than $675 billion in federal funds are distributed based on the results of the census. These funds are used to support the state, county, and community needs with regard to schools, hospitals, roads, and other programs. Many well-known programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Medicaid, and the Federal Pell Grant program are among some of the top programs that rely on an accurate census count for funding distribution.
In 2010, US residents were introduced to a condensed version of the census for the first time, containing only 10 questions. Similarly, 2020 will also feature significant changes with the incorporation of the online responding feature. While the option to respond by phone or mail is still present, the exciting new online response feature will make it easier for people to respond from anywhere at any time.
While the census has been in place for over 200 years, there are still many challenges that the Census Bureau face when it comes to response rate. Some of the challenges include privacy concerns, language barriers, criminal history, immigration status, or even just a general distrust of the government. For these reasons, the Census Bureau has been working tirelessly to be as transparent as possible with US residents on how the census is conducted and used.
There are several laws in place that protect the confidentiality of census information. In fact, it is illegal for the Census Bureau to disclose census responses that could identify a respondent. Only census employees are legally allowed to view census responses, and those employees are sworn to secrecy under the threat of criminal prosecution. Any census employee who violates this heavily protected law is subject to legal punishment resulting in up to a $250,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
The Census Bureau is not allowed to disclose census responses to any other government agency, including any form of law enforcement. This means that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are all prohibited by law from accessing census information for any reason. Census results are only used for statistical data and can never be used in a way that could identify or cause detriment to a respondent or household.
The online version of the 2020 Census will be available in 13 languages total, but there will be literature and translators that will be able to assist non-English speaking residents in up to 59 different languages. There are census workers available and ready to assist with any barriers.
Invitations to complete the 2020 Census will arrive at households by April 1, 2020. Upon its receipt, residents are encouraged to complete the questionnaire in one of the three ways: phone, mail, or online. The goal is to have a complete and accurate count of Butler County by the end of 2020.
