Invitations letters to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census started being delivered to mailboxes and doorsteps across the county Thursday. The newest element: People can respond online for the first time in the 230 years there has been a census.
The primary way to participate will be online this year, though people can still take it over the phone or by paper form, if requested. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out, officials say.
Diane Vu, director of the Office of Community Partnerships for the county, said that although the online format might be efficient, it also resulted in the U.S. Census Bureau limiting its outreach efforts because of the move to digital forms.
“In previous years, they’ve sent a lot of resources for outreach, especially through partnership specialists. They’ve cut back on that,” she said. “Local jurisdictions are investing significantly in a way that they have never done before.”
This is the first year that both the county and Maryland have dedicated funding to census outreach. Maryland allocated $5 million for census outreach funds for local jurisdictions and nonprofit organizations and Montgomery County received $581,700 of that.
On March 10, the county allocated $250,000 from its own funds for additional education and outreach because of coronavirus concerns. Vu said the additional money will be used to increase the digital outreach effort.
Many jurisdictions were focused on in-person outreach and events. Census awareness events scheduled for the last weekend in March will most likely be canceled because of the statewide restriction on gatherings of more than 250 people.
“Now, in light of everything that’s been unfolding, jurisdictions have realized that they need to move [away] from in-person outreach,” Vu said.
County officials are concerned the coronavirus could potentially overshadow the census. It’s also too early to tell whether workers will continue to plan on visiting households.
“We haven’t heard any change in operational plans for the Census Bureau. Obviously, they are taking a look at other plans,” Vu said. She did not know what specific plans have been discussed.
Invitation letters began being sent to households on Thursday and will continue to arrive at households through March 20. Up to four reminders will be mailed until April 3.
Paper questionnaires will then be sent until April 16 and final reminders will arrive by April 27 before census workers begin making in-person visits. The Census Bureau is expected to close the census on July 31.
In addition to the new online format, people can expect two new questions on the form.
People and declare their country of origin, as well as identify their same-sex relationships to others in the household. The census previously did not differentiate between opposite-sex and same-sex relationships and counted those identifying as married same-sex couples as “unmarried partners.”
Undercounted communities in the county include children under age 5, immigrants, those with limited English proficiency, communities of color, LGBTQ communities, and renters.
Census workers will not ask for identification, bank account or credit card information, Social Security numbers, or any other personal information. People can ask census workers for identification or call the Census Bureau if they have concerns about a worker at their door.
Vu said she didn’t know whether moving the majority of responses to an online format would result in more responses. Either way, getting as many responses as possible is vital for the county, she said.
The county estimates it loses about $18,250 in federal and state resources for each person not counted in the census. That’s over a period of 10 years.
“That’s something we can’t afford,” Vu said.
In 2010, the county had a response rate of 80%, one of the highest in the region. The average is about 74%.
The census is used to determine allocations of state and federal resources. It also assists counties and businesses in deciding where schools, libraries, recreation centers, grocery stores, public transportation, and other facilities are placed.
Vu said communities most in need of resources are typically the most undercounted.
“If we get this wrong in the census, we’re tied to this data again for the next 10 years,” she said. “If you were to ask anyone in East County how they feel the county has neglected them over the past 10 years, they have realized that the census is very important to them.”
Census forms will be available at local homeless shelters, food kitchens and other facilities.
People can respond to the census in 13 languages online, and print and video language guides for 60 languages and American Sign Language will be provided. People can also request print guides in Braille and large print.
“We were relying very heavily on cultural and linguistic nonprofit organizations to provide that assistance in person,” Vu said. “Now we’re going to have to move away from that format. I think what we’re going to have to move to is over-the-phone assistance in other languages.”
Vu said immigrants should not be concerned about responding to the census and are protected by Title 13, which does not allow Census Bureau workers to share information with any agencies. Strict penalties include up to $500,000 in fines or five years in jail. There is no citizenship question on the census.
“The only thing that local jurisdictions care about is how many people are in your household,” Vu said. “Every person under that household counts.”
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at briana.adhikusuma@moco360.media.
