Participating in the Census helps the federal government determine many things on a local level, from how many seats in Congress a state can get to how much funding towns and cities receive.
While it launched in March, the 2020 Census is still open and needing responses. Responding to this version is different from any other before because it can be completed online.
Assistant Regional Census Manager Marilyn Stephens covers the Atlanta Region for the U.S. Census Bureau, which includes North Carolina. She says people have used online submissions for nearly half of all the responses received for the 2020 Census.
“You cannot beat word of mouth,” Stephens says when describing how effective it has been and comments she’s received. “People talk it up and say, ‘It is so easy and fast to respond.’”
But it’s not just the online method that’s new for this decade. The Census Bureau also debuted a way to respond over the phone, which Stephens says has provided an even more equitable way to count people.
“Many people do not have connectivity to the internet or they’re not comfortable,” she said. “But they are comfortable talking to a certified representative of the Census Bureau.”
Despite these methods, however, North Carolina lags behind many other states in terms of response rate. As of this week, just 58 percent of households have self-responded, ranking 36th out of the 50 states and Washington D.C.
Orange County ranks second in the state’s counties with a 67 percent response rate so far. But that still leaves many community members left uncounted, which has significant long-term consequences when it comes to local funding.
While some delay of responses could be from the COVID-19 pandemic beginning before the 2020 Census launched, Stephens says she believes people are still unaware of how to self-respond.
“Most people still believe the way you take a census is we’re going to come to your home and sit with the family,” she says. “But that was the primary way of taking a census through the 1950 Census. In 1960, we started the self-response. And here we are now, in the 21st century, and we’re giving three options for self-response.”
For those who have yet to respond, though, a visit from Census workers will be coming soon. Stephens says those not marked as having responded will be paid a visit by representatives from the Census Bureau to help fill it out. And those workers will continue to visit until a household has either self-responded or completed the census with their help.
Stephens says the bureau wants to “avoid the knock” on people’s doors as much as possible amid the pandemic. But the Census Bureau has extended their operations until October to take more time to help others and ensure as accurate of a count as possible.
One element Stephens says she hears people are concerned about with the online models is security of the personal information. But the Census does not require things like social security numbers and census workers are sworn to protect everyone’s information. Stephens says responses are only used to produce statistics, with individual information about people being frozen from the public eye for 72 years.
“Census data is protected by law,” she describes. “We cannot share census data with any entity or agency, it cannot be subpoenaed by the courts or be gotten by any law enforcement agency. So no one should have any fear of census data being used to [create] adversity because no one should be able to see their responses.”
When it comes to North Carolina, Stephens says she believes more responses will come in soon. The regional manager says she thinks this next wave of Census workers helping fill out forms will help get the state to the national response rate of 62 percent.
“We always look at the national response rate,” Stephens says, “where is a state compared to that rate? North Carolina is traditionally a high self-response rate state, so I have hope response rates will increase over the next few weeks. I’m not doubtful there.”
To respond to the 2020 Census, visit its website or call 844-330-2020.
Photo via the U.S. Census Bureau.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Comments on Chapelboro are moderated according to our Community Guidelines