The U.S. Census Bureau reports that over 70 million households have responded to the 2020 Census, representing more than 48 percent of all households in America. Across the state, 45.1 percent of North Carolina households have participated, with 38.6 percent of the total responses being online. Closer to home, Granville County has a 47.2 percent response rate. Online responses for Granville are reported to be at 37.9 percent.
July 31, 2020 was the original deadline for self-response, which – due to the COVID-19 pandemic – had been extended to Aug. 14. In order to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau is now seeking statutory relief from Congress of 120 additional calendar days to deliver final counts. Under this plan, the Census Bureau would extend the window for field data collection and self-response to Oct. 31, 2020, which will allow apportionment counts to be delivered to the President by April 30, 2021, and redistricting data to be delivered to the states no later than July 31, 2021.
“Granville County is ahead of the statewide average, but we encourage all Granville County residents to participate in this survey as soon as possible, ahead of the deadline,” said David Smith, Chairman of the Granville County Board of Commissioners. “It’s easy to respond and it’s important, as decisions made for the next ten years will be based on the results of the 2020 Census.”
This is the first year that online responses have been made available. Other options include participating by phone or by mail. Surveys ask that residents living in each household be counted as of April 1, 2020 (Census Day). This ensures that each person is counted only once, in one place, and at one point in time. Invitations to participate were sent out in early March.
Those who have not yet responded online or by phone will receive a paper questionnaire to complete, which should be arriving in the mail this week. Those receiving a paper questionnaire can still respond online or by phone, or can return the survey by mail in an enclosed envelope. If responding online, participants are asked to use the Census ID number from the letter, or to provide their address.
In March, the Census Bureau had temporarily suspended field data collection activities. Steps are already being taken to reactivate field offices beginning June 1, 2020.
The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every ten years. Data collected from the 2020 Census will determine how billions of dollars in public funds are allocated for public services and infrastructure such as health clinics, emergency services, schools, roads, bridges and other needs over the next decade. Census statistics are also used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“This is something we all can do while practicing social distancing,” Chairman Smith added. “Let’s make this a top priority so that we can be sure to get the funding we need.”
For more information, or to view and monitor response rates by state, county, city and district, please visit 2020census.gov.