Census Takers Visiting Non-Responsive East Texas Households

Census takers in East Texas are working to follow up with households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census.
Currently, the average self-response rate in East Texas is 53.9 percent. The Census Bureau will need to visit the remaining addresses to collect responses in person.
Households can still respond now by completing and mailing back the paper questionnaire they received, by responding online at 2020census.gov, or by phone at 844-330-2020. Households can also respond online or by phone in one of 13 languages and find assistance in many more. Those that respond will not need to be visited to obtain their census response. Access to the online system is available by desktop or laptop computers, tablets, smartphone, and even by normal telephone.

Why Respond?

You may be asking, “Why should I respond to the U.S. Census?” or “What difference does it make?” Well, for starters, it is the law.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. The goal of the 2020 Census was to count everyone who lives in the United States on April 1, 2020, also known as “Census Day.” Needless to state, COVID-19 placed a severe hardship on the U.S. Census Bureau both in terms of obtaining data from households and sending staff to conduct interviews to individual households failing to respond to mailings, online advertisement, and other information about the importance of obtaining an accurate census.

Some believe filling out Census forms to be just one in a long list of government-mandates. Others believe the Census to be an invasion of privacy. Whatever the reasons some people fail to respond to the Census questionnaires, Robert Longley, a writer with thoughtco.com reminds everyone that responding to the Census in some form or fashion is not a matter of choice or convenience.
“Many people consider the questions from the U.S. Census Bureau either too time-consuming or too invasive and fail to respond,” Longley writes. “But responding to all census questionnaires is required by federal law. While it rarely happens, the Census Bureau can impose fines for failing to answer the census or the American Community Survey or for intentionally providing false information.”

In fact, failing to respond to the Census can result in a fine of up to $5,000. Intentionally providing false information is viewed as even worse than failing to respond, and fines up to $10,000 can be levied on those attempting to impact overall Census results by offering incorrect information. Since the laws regarding the duty of U.S. citizens to provide timely and accurate information were implemented in 1984, the fines involved have increased up to 50 times the original amount. The point is, responding to the Census is something the U.S. Government takes seriously. One way or another, Census takers will seek you out, and it is much less expensive on taxpayers if household visits are not necessary.

Why the Census is Important

One of the most recognizable ways the U.S. Government uses census data is in allocating how may seats each state holds among the 535 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. While the number of congressional seats Texas holds offer the state greater power in setting policy and passing laws, the Census also means increased federal funding at the federal, state, and local levels. And while extra congressional seats are important, the funding that is allocated based on the Census has a far greater impact on individual households who benefit from various government programs.

Formula funds are allocated on the basis of population and/or demographics. Federal funding dedicated to each state impacts the amount of funding a given state receives for programs ranging from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Funding for building boat ramps and stocking fish to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known more widely as “food stamps.” The Census data is considered an official, accurate snapshot in time of demographics in geographic areas as small as large as the United States to as small as Roxton, and government funding is largely allocated on the basis of Census data.

A “Close to Home” Scenario

When one considers percentages of respondents to the Census in terms of U.S. Representatives allocated to state, the importance of the Census becomes clear; in fact, Texas District Four, including Lamar County, is an excellent example of how a few unresponsive households can tilt the balance of Congress.

If only 90% of households in the 18 counties included in District Four fail to respond to the Census, based on current estimates of about 750,000 residents in the district, the official population count could drop to 675,000.

If District Four has actually experienced an increase in households since the last Census count and 10% of residents don’t respond, some of the increase may not be recognized. If, on the other hand, District Four’s population has remained stagnant, the Census may instead show a decrease in population.
With 535 seats in Congress, each seat represents about 616,000 Americans. Texas District Four is relatively close to average, meaning it is a district that hangs in the balance. Census data showing a decrease in overall population in District Four could place Texas on the verge of losing a seat in Congress; on the other hand, if the data shows an increase in District Four, another seat for Texas’ congressional delegation could be added. An additional seat is good for Texas, for Lamar County, and for Roxton.

As indicated in the news release from the U.S. Census Bureau published in this issue of the Progress, thanks largely in part to COVID-19, gathering data is far behind schedule this year. Normally, deployment of temporary U.S. Census employees to travel door-to-door to collect data from households not yet reporting begins in April and is complete by July 31. This year the process has been delayed, and census takers have just begun making household visits, with expectations of completion by the end of September.

The COVID-19 Census

The Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are working together to protect the health and safety of the public and our employees. Participation in 2020 Census interviews should present a low risk of transmission of COVID-19.
Census takers are trained to rigorously and universally follow these CDC recommendations to mitigate the risk of transmission: wearing face masks; maintaining social distance (6 feet or more); practicing hand hygiene; and not entering homes by conducting interviews outside as much as possible of practical.

Household members encountered by census staff are encouraged to maintain social distances during interviews and practice the CDC’s other recommendations as much as possible.

Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date on the badge. To confirm a census taker’s identity, the public may contact the Denver/Dallas Regional Census Center at 972-510-1800 to speak with a Census Bureau representative.

Census takers are hired from local communities. All census takers speak English, and many are bilingual. If a census taker does not speak the householder’s language, the household may request a return visit from a census taker who does. Census takers will also have materials on hand to help identify the household’s language.
If no one is home when the census taker visits, the census taker will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone, or by mail. People are encouraged to cooperate with census takers and ensure that everyone who was living in their household as of April 1, 2020, is counted.