Plymouth Officials Remind Its Residents About Census Day

Minneapolis MN

01 April, 2020

3:06 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Plymouth: April 1, 2020 April 1 is Census Day, and every single Plymouth resident is asked to participate in the count to ensure that the city is fully represented. The census is held nationally every 10 years with the goal of counting every person in the United States. April 1 is recognized as Census Day to encourage participation. Why it Matters Census results have far-reaching public policy effects. In 2016, Minnesota received more than $15 million from federally-funded programs based on 2010 census data. That's $2,796 per Minnesotan each year – or nearly $28,000 over 10 years. These funds support education, healthcare, transportation, housing and other vital programs. Additionally, officials have projected that Minnesota is at risk of losing one of its eight seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. An accurate and complete count that reflects Minnesota's population growth over the last decade could help retain that seat. How to Be Counted All households were mailed an invitation to participate, which provides details about options to complete a census form – online, by phone or through the mail. You do not need to have your invitation to respond – simply go to 2020census.gov to get started. The census is 10 questions long and takes about 10 minutes to complete per household member. Residents should note that, by law, the U.S. Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. Help Others Be Counted Please share this information, as there are certain populations who tend not to complete the census. People historically undercounted include: Children age 0-4 Renters Young adults 18-24, especially those in college Native/Indigenous people Non-English speakers Low-income persons Persons experiencing homelessness Persons with mental or physical disabilities Snowbirds/split residences People who need help completing the census can text questions to 662020. More information about the census in Minnesota is available on the state's census webpage. This press release was produced by the City of Plymouth. The views expressed here are the author's own.