Birmingham Residents Urged to Complete 2020 Census as Federal Government Shortens Response Deadline

By Jim Murray | Business, Science and Technology Department, Central Library 

On Monday, August 3, the U.S. Census Bureau released a statement announcing that the deadline for responding to the Census was being moved back to September 30, 2020. This new deadline is not only for resident self-response, but also for all bureau field operations aimed at collecting population data for the 2020 Census. The bureau had previously extended the response deadline from July 31 to October 31 due to disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The implied reason for the shortened deadline was to ensure that the collection and processing of data would be completed in time to deliver the results to President Trump by December 31, 2020. The December 31 date is prescribed by statutory law in Title 13 of the United States Code, but earlier this year, due to the pandemic, the bureau asked Congress to extend that deadline six months to April 2021. The House voted to approve the extension in May, but the Senate has never approved the measure. The results from the Census are used to determine how congressional seats will be apportioned to the 50 states.

In Monday’s statement, Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham made assurances that moving the deadline would not adversely affect the accuracy or the completeness of the data collected. He maintained that procedural actions such as hiring more staff for field operations, providing increased training, offering incentives to staff to encourage proficiency, and maximum utilization of the bureau’s data gathering technology would offset any impediments created by the compressed time frame.

Others, however, disagree with Dillingham’s assessment. On Tuesday, August 4, four former Census Bureau directors issued a joint letter criticizing the bureau’s shortened deadline. They contend that speeding up the process will lead to a drastic undercount of the population, especially of those residents who are deemed to be part of the “hard-to-count” communities such as young children, recent immigrants, minorities, the homeless, and people with lower incomes. These communities are historically overlooked by the Census and their numbers are insufficiently accounted for on a consistent basis.

Disapproval of the deadline change was also voiced by the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight and Reform and the National State Data Center Steering Committee, which is a network of state and local government agencies charged with disseminating Census data. The Birmingham Public Library serves as an affiliate of the Alabama State Data Center.

As of the first week of August, nearly half, or 47.6%, of the residents of the City of Birmingham had not responded to the Census. The news surrounding the deadline change is just another stark reminder that a complete and accurate count of the local population is of vital importance in making sure that the city and state are both properly represented in Congress and recipients of our fair share of federal funding. To achieve a complete and accurate count, we must increase the current response rate dramatically, especially among those residents that the Census Bureau identifies as hard-to-count. Therefore, all residents should make it a priority to promote the Census at every opportunity to family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else in the community they may come in contact with.

Responding to the Census is easy, safe, and important. So, if you have not done so already, please take a few minutes and complete the questionnaire by visiting the Birmingham Counts! webpage. Then, spread the word to others and encourage them to do likewise. Remember, Birmingham is counting on you.