Every ten years, the U.S. constitution directs the federal government to collect an “actual enumeration” of our population. Even under normal circumstances, this is a tremendous undertaking. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even more difficult for the U.S. Census Bureau to complete their count.  

Instead of giving the Census Bureau the time it needs to complete a fair and accurate count, the Trump administration and its allies want to move the deadline for completion up, against the recommendations of senior census officials. Shrinking the time that census workers have to reach these groups will cause a significant undercount of difficult-to-reach populations. This will make it harder for communities in need to receive funding for public safety, public health, immunizations, Head Start programs and more.

Every Person Counts.

The census is a civil rights issue. Failing to accurately count households is a form of discrimination, concentrating power and resources among those more likely to be included. Traditionally under-counted groups include people experiencing homelessness, low-income households, immigrants, seniors, children, and Native Americans living on tribal lands. Forcing the U.S. Census Bureau to rush this process in the middle of a pandemic will result in a skewed representation of who we are as a nation. Learn more about what’s at stake.

Our democratic systems require constant vigilance. Congress must adopt the Census Bureau’s recommendation to extend statutory reporting deadlines for apportionment and redistricting in the next COVID-19 relief bill and allocate $400 million to address continued 2020 Census challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Protect the Integrity of the Census

The census is too important to cut corners. Join us in urging Congress to give the U.S. Census Bureau the time and resources to include everyone in a fair and accurate count.