Although the start of the 2020 Census is still a year away, local governments are planning their strategies for ensuring an accurate, complete count.
Staff leading a few of the local census efforts briefed the COG Board of Directors in March about their progress.
The goal of the 2020 Census is to count people once, in the correct place, and with the highest participation rate possible, District of Columbia 2020 Census Executive Director Melissa Bird told officials. After achieving a 79 percent participation rate in 2010, the District is aiming for an 85 percent participation rate in 2020. Nationally, 74 percent of households completed the census questionnaire via mail in 2010.
“We think of the census in terms of dollars to our localities…Medicaid, SNAP, housing vouchers, childcare vouchers, and school grants,” said Bird. “But it’s also a social and racial equity issue. When we have an undercount, the most vulnerable populations are the ones that are most negatively impacted.”
COG and several regional philanthropic partners will co-host a one day event in June to encourage information sharing, collaboration, and mobilization of the region’s public, private, and non-profit sectors in pursuit of an accurate count. For example, 40 percent of the District’s population and 50 percent of Prince George’s County’s population are considered “hard to count”—typically immigrant, senior, and low literacy communities, young children, and communities of color. Event participants will consider how to best meet these communities where they are, whether that’s at school, places of worship, etc.
“One thing I learned in 2010 is we need to be united at the regional level,” said Arlington County 2020 Census Co-Director Elizabeth Hardy. “It’s very important to share messaging, promotional material. Not only does this save time and [ensure] efficiency, but it’s also key for residents to have the same experience as they cross jurisdictional boundaries.”
According to local census leads, technology and internet access pose an added challenge to this year’s count. For the first time, the census will be conducted primarily online, although most addresses will be given the option to respond via phone or mail.
Fairfax County Supervisor and COG Board Member Sharon Bulova raised concern about another potential challenge: the consequences of a citizenship question being potentially included on the questionnaire.
“Even if the decision is made to not put it on the questionnaire, people will remember that and will be concerned,” said Bulova.
“It’s already created over the past year a significant level of apprehension that I think is going to make it much more difficult to achieve the response rates we’ve been able to achieve in the past,” said Prince George’s County 2020 Census Lead Jim Cannistra.
COG, city and county managers, and area census directors plan to continue to look for ways for the region to work together on these challenges, share information, and deploy effective on-the-ground strategies.
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