Accurate census data is crucial for Contra Costa County
Next year will be a pivotal year for our democracy that will impact communities in Contra Costa County for years to come.
This is not only because 2020 is an election year, it is also a census year.
In March, every household in America will be asked to answer the 2020 census. How residents of Contra Costa County respond will affect our county’s civic representation and revenue for the next decade.
The census is a government survey occurring every 10 years, asking basic questions like age, name, race and ethnicity about each person living in your household. The 2020 census is nine questions and will be conducted almost entirely online. Everyone counts in the census: babies, people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, seniors and formerly incarcerated individuals.
This will mark the first time the census will be conducted online, although people can still answer via mail and phone. Starting in mid-March, households will receive a postcard in the mail with a unique code inviting them to fill out the census online. Most people can respond online, by phone or by mail between March and April 2020. Households who do not respond by April 30, 2020, will be visited by a census taker between May and July.
Confidential Information
Your census responses are protected and confidential. It is against the law to disclose or publish any private information identifying an individual or business. Furthermore, the Census Bureau is not allowed to share personal information with others, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), police, landlords and other government agencies. Unlawful disclosure by a Census Bureau worker is punishable by $250,000, imprisonment up to five years, or both.
The 2020 census is easy, safe and more important than ever. Data collected from the census is used to make key policy and budget decisions. The census determines how much representation our community receives at all levels of government down to the local level and informs how we redraw our electoral districts. The same data is used to allocate $1.5 trillion in federal funding for programs like Medicaid, WIC, Section 8, SSI and more. Census data also helps governments understand where to build hospitals, schools, businesses and roads.
It is vital that every resident in Contra Costa County respond to the census, so our communities can get their fair share of the funds to improve our services and infrastructure.
“Our county could lose between $500 million to $1.1 billion over 10 years if we undercount by even 5 percent,” said Contra Costa County District III Supervisor Diane Burgis.
“Each person not counted in the census is a loss of $1,000 to $2,000 each year for the next 10 years,” added Burgis, who is chair of the county’s Complete Count Steering Committee.
The Census Bureau is also looking to recruit 600 people in Contra Costa County by the end of the year. Interested individuals can apply now at 2020census.gov/jobs. For more information about the census and Contra Costa County’s efforts, visit cococensus.org.