With the September 30, 2020, census deadline looming, census workers will be going door-to-door in an effort to get those in Cook County who haven’t sent in their forms to fill them out and be counted.
While 73 percent of all Minnesotan having filled out their census forms, only 37.7 percent of Cook County residents have completed and sent in their forms, the lowest percentage of any of Minnesota’s 87 counties. Which means, said Maureen Schriner, 2020 Census Media specialist for Minnesota and Iowa, “That about two of three households will need census taker visits.”
However, said Courtney Ryan, a Minnesota based spokesperson for the census bureau, some of the low response in Cook County is caused because the Bureau counts houses/cabins, and if those are owned by a seasonal homeowner who doesn’t fill out a form for that address, it looks like no one responded from that address.
“When it comes to responding to the census, seasonal homeowners may be confused about which home address they should use,” said Ryan.
“Here’s how it works: If a person owns a seasonal or vacation home (where they do not live and sleep most of the time), and they know that no one else usually lives there, they can respond online or by phone and answer “no” when asked if they or anyone else is living or staying at that address on April 1, 2020.
“Doing this will not only help the census be more accurate and ensure that everyone is counted only once and in the right place, but it also means that a census taker does not have to follow up in person.”
If you are a seasonal homeowner, you can get more information from 2020census.gov.
If you are a county resident who has not completed your census, it takes about three minutes to do so online. Census results affect many things. The 2020 census will count everyone who lives in the U.S. and once tabulated, that data will help determine the number of seats each state holds in the House of Representatives. Those representatives will allocate billions of dollars over the next ten years to state and local governments that will help pay for emergency response services, hospitals and clinics, schools, job training, roads, highways and more.
But those “census” dollars are based on returns by residents of a certain area. By filling out your census, you are helping your fellow citizens in Cook County.
Here are three easy ways to complete the 2020 census, said Schriner.
Online – visit 2020Census.gov
Phone – call 844-330-2020 – phone lines are open 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Central – seven days a week
By mail – the Census Bureau is sending a seventh reminder mail, along with a paper census questionnaire, to households that have not yet responded. Expect that mailing at the end of August/beginning of September
If a census taker visits your home or calls you, please answer their questions.
The Census Bureau is also sending emails to low-responding blocks. The email is sent from 2020Census@subscription. census.gov. Please respond.
For non-English language support: 2020Census.gov/languages.
Why is it important to respond to the 2020 Census?
A complete and accurate count of each community ensures that community receives its fair share of representation in Congress and the state legislature and its fair share of billions in federal funds distributed each year to state and local communities for many programs, such Census data is important for decisions by businesses, nonprofits and all levels of government.
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