Be Counted in the 2020 Census
The year 2020 is unlike any other in recent history, between the pandemic, calls for social justice and the upcoming election. Not to be forgotten in all the hubbub is this year’s 2020 Census. Have you completed the Census and urged your family, friends and neighbors to do the same?
Since 1790, the U.S. Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates a count of the country’s population every ten years. Basic information, including age, sex, and race, is collected for every adult, child and baby living in the country. No inquiries are made about citizenship status, social security number, bank or credit card accounts, solicitation of money or information about your political party. All responses are strictly confidential and protected by law.
Data gathered from the Census helps determine millions of dollars in federal funding for schools, roads, transportation, social services, affordable housing and much more. An undercount means fewer resources will be available to the community. For every person not counted, communities may lose $10,000 per individual over the next ten years. The results also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representations and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
If you’ve not done the Census yet, there’s still time. The 2020 Census can be completed online, by phone, or by mail. Forms were mailed to residents starting in March. In the coming weeks, census takers, following CDC safety guidelines, are canvassing neighborhoods with low response rates. Their goal is to ensure everyone completes the 2020 Census and no addresses are overlooked. If a census taker comes to your home, make sure they have proper identification, including:
- A valid ID badge with their photograph,
- A U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and
- An expiration date.
"Mwaka 2020 ni tofauti na mwaka mwingine wowote katika historia ya hivi karibuni, kati ya janga, wito wa haki ya kijamii na uchaguzi ujao. """ Kwa mujibu wa taarifa zilizotolewa na shirika la habari la BBC, idadi ya watu wa mwaka huu ni ya 2020 na ni ya kawaida. Je, umefanya sensa na kuwahimiza familia yako, marafiki na majirani kufanya vivyo hivyo? Tangu mwaka wa 1790, Katiba ya Marekani, kifungu cha 1, kifungu cha 2, inaweka amri ya kuhesabu idadi ya watu wa nchi kila baada ya miaka kumi. Habari za msingi, kutia ndani umri, jinsia, na jamii, hukusanywa kwa kila mtu mzima, mtoto na mtoto mchanga anayeishi katika nchi hiyo. Hakuna maswali kuhusu hali ya uraia, nambari ya usalama wa kijamii, akaunti za benki au kadi ya mkopo, kuomba pesa au habari kuhusu chama chako cha kisiasa. Majibu yote ni ya siri kabisa na yanalindwa na sheria. Takwimu zilizokusanywa kutoka sensa husaidia kuamua mamilioni ya dola katika ufadhili wa shirikisho kwa shule, barabara, usafiri, huduma za kijamii, nyumba za bei nafuu na mengi zaidi. Idadi ndogo inamaanisha rasilimali chache zitapatikana kwa jamii. Kwa kila mtu ambaye hajahesabiwa, jamii zinaweza kupoteza $ 10,000 kwa mtu mmoja katika miaka kumi ijayo. Matokeo ya uchaguzi huo pia huamua idadi ya viti ambavyo kila jimbo litakuwa navyo katika Bunge la Wawakilishi la Marekani na hutumiwa kuchora wilaya za bunge na za bunge. Kama hujafanya sensa bado, bado kuna muda. Sensa ya 2020 inaweza kufanywa kwa njia ya mtandao, kwa simu, au kwa barua. Fomu hizo zilitumwa kwa barua kwa wakazi kuanzia Machi. Katika wiki zijazo, watafiti wa sensa, wakifuata miongozo ya usalama ya CDC, wanatafuta vitongoji vyenye viwango vya chini vya majibu. Lengo ni kuhakikisha kila mtu anafanya sensa ya 2020 na hakuna anwani inayopuuzwa. Ikiwa mtafiti wa sensa atakuja nyumbani kwako, hakikisha ana kitambulisho sahihi, ikiwa ni pamoja na: - Kitambulisho sahihi na picha yao, - Watermark ya Idara ya Biashara ya Marekani, na - Tarehe ya kumalizika.