News & Blog

2020 Census

by Andrea Gonzalez on January 14, 2020
The 2020 Census is closer than you think!
Here’s a quick refresher of what it is and why it’s essential that everyone is counted.

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Everyone counts. The census counts every person living in the United States once, only once, and in the right place.

It’s about fair representation. Every 10 years, the results of the census are used to reapportion the House of Representatives, determining how many seats each state gets.

It’s in the Constitution. The U.S. Constitution mandates that everyone in the country be counted every 10 years. The first census was in 1790.

It’s about $675 billion. The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties, and communities are based on census data. That money is spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works, and other vital programs.

It’s about redistricting. After each decade’s census, state officials redraw the boundaries of the congressional and state legislative districts in their states to account for population shifts.

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Taking part is your civic duty. Completing the census is mandatory: it’s a way to participate in our democracy and say “I COUNT!”

Census data are being used all around you. Residents use the census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life, and consumer advocacy. Businesses use census data to decide where to build factories, offices, and stores, which create jobs. Local governments use the census for public safety and emergency preparedness. Real estate developers use the census to build new homes and revitalize old neighborhoods.

Your privacy is protected. It’s against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or your household. By law, your responses cannot be used against you and can only be used to produce statistics.

2020 will be easier than ever. In 2020, you will be able to respond to the census online.

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You can help. You are the expert—we need your ideas on the best way to make sure everyone in your community gets counted.

FIND OUT HOW TO HELP AT 2020CENSUS.GOV/PARTNERS

As an organization we are happy to announce, that the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council will serve as a Census Assistance Center for the 2020 Census, more information to come!

In the meantime, you can learn more about the Census at one of our presentations. During this presentation we will cover:

  • An overview of the census
  • Confidentiality laws
  • What is funded by the census?
  • Information asked by the census
  • Ways to respond to the census
  • Important Census Dates

These presentations will be in English and take place Friday, January 17th from 3:00pm – 4:00pm and Thursday, February 20th from 3:00pm – 4:00pm at the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council Office (1373 Duane St. Astoria, OR 97103). Please register at the following link: Census 2020 Presentation Registration

There will also be a presentation in SPANISH and in Seaside, February 12 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in the high school library: 1901 N Holladay Dr, Seaside, OR 97138.