U.S. census begins in March
By Robert Cloud
Some local municipalities are encouraging residents to respond to the 2020 census.
City Administrator Aaron Jenson said the Waupaca Area Public Library will provide two private spaces with computers for residents to answer the census.
The city will also have a computer and a person to provide assistance if needed from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays, April 8, April 22, May 13, May 27, June 3 and June 17, at the Waupaca Senior Center, 407 School St.
During the presidential primary on Tuesday, April 7, the city will also have a place set up to fill out the census.
The city will also send reminders about the census along with utility bills.
A large button on the home page of the city of Waupaca’s website leads to the Census 2020 website.
City Administrator Jeremy Schroeder said Weyauwega has similar plans to encourage participation.
A computer will be set up for responding to the census at both city hall and the public library in Weyauwega.
Schroeder said the city will hold an informational meeting on the census and how to become a census taker from noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Weyauwega Public Library, 301 S. Mill St.
Weyauwega is also informing its residents through its utility bills, city newsletter and social media.
Census matters
Required by Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the census has counted the nation’s residents every 10 years since 1790.
Its primary purpose is the allocation of congressional districts and electoral college votes.
Census numbers also play a major role in how $675 billion in federal funds are distributed to states and communities for roads, bridges, public transportation, housing, education, emergency services and hospitals.
About $9 billion of those dollars come to Wisconsin.
“The census affects how billions of federal dollars are allocated,” according to Greg Grohman, a census specialist with CAP Services in Stevens Point.
He estimated Wisconsin loses $1,500 for every person who is not counted in the census.
Groohman also stressed the information collected on the census is confidential.
“It can’t be shared with anybody. Not with Immigration, the FBI. CIA or IRS,” Grohman said. “The data can only be used for statistics. Nothing is individually identifiable.”
Grohman said this year’s census will not have any questions about citizenship or immigration status.
Census timeline
• March 12–20: Homes receive invitations to complete the 2020 census. Residents may respond online, by phone or by mail.
• March 30 – April 1: Census workers count homeless people by going to soup kitchens, homeless shelters, encampments under bridges.
• April 1 is national Census Day. By this date, every home should have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 census.
• April: Census takers begin visiting large group facilities, such as college dorms, nursing homes, treatment centers, prisons, military barracks and vessels. Census takers also begin conducting quality check interviews to help ensure an accurate count.
• May – July: Census workers visit homes that have not responded to the 2020 census.
Census workers needed
The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting hundreds of thousands of temporary census takers across the country.
They are the people who go door-to-door to interview residents who have not yet answered the census survey.
Jenson noted census workers in Waupaca County earn $17 per hour and are reimbursed for work-related mileage and expenses.
Those interested in being a census taker can go to 2020census.gov and click “Jobs” at the top of the homepage.
The website has a video about what census takers do and a digital application form.