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Census 2020 -Great News, West Virginia!

Posted 09/03/20

Census 2020 -Great News, West Virginia!

Wow, wow, wow. Between WV's self-response rate (55.6%) and nonresponse follow-up by door-to-door Census takers (38.6%), 94.2% of WV households have been enumerated as of August 31. This makes us second in the nation! Well done, and congratulations, West Virginia. This is great news!

But guess what? The even better news is it's not too late to encourage those last 5.8% of our fellow West Virginians to complete the 2020 Census. Even though 94.2% sounds like an impressive number, that still leaves over 1,000,000 (yes, one million!) West Virginians uncounted. That's still a lot of people left unrepresented! The count ends September 30, just short of four weeks from today. Let's work together in the next few weeks to get as accurate a count as possible.

Not only does West Virginia's apportionment in the U.S. House of Delegates for the next ten years rely on this data, the allocation of federal funds in the mountain state does too. Our collective response will determine how much money West Virginia receives for critical services like disaster recovery initiatives, wildlife restoration programs, support to rural areas, housing assistance programs for older adults, health clinics, fire departments, child abuse prevention programs, school lunch programs, yes, even libraries. 

Help us reach out and encourage those that haven't yet responded to the 2020 Census to do so between now and September 30. Their response will help shape West Virginia's future for the next decade. 

But how can I help, you ask?

It's simple. Engage your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors and ask them if they've completed the 2020 Census. Explain to those who haven't why it’s important for everyone in our community to respond, and encourage others to reach out and do the same. Challenge people to respond with a post on social media (Right-click on and save one of the images below to share online). Mainly, spread the word and inspire others to as well. 

Challenge friends and family to respond to the 2020 Census with a post on social media Challenge friends and family to respond to the 2020 Census with a post on social media Challenge friends and family to respond to the 2020 Census with a post on social media

Census enumerator making a household visit. And please, please, please, encourage those both those that have and have not self-responded to be receptive of door-to-door visitation from enumerators.* The Census takers are often circling back doing "quality control” questionnaires. They are either confirming the responses provided online, over the phone, or even following up on a previous in-person visit. They also may be confirming that the occupants have been counted as members of a different or out-of-state household. If a Census worker has attempted to visit a home left a notification that a Census representative has attempted contact, please encourage a member of that household to call the 1-800 number provided or login online and provide the number left on the notification.

Let people know their answers are confidential. 

Let everyone know there's no reason not to respond. All responses to the census questionnaire are kept anonymous and they are used only to produce statistics. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you, your home, or your business, even to law enforcement agencies.

Your help matters.

More people responding to the census means more opportunities to shape the future of your town, city, or state – and the country. The census shapes many aspects of our community. Getting a complete and accurate count in 2020 requires everyone's help. Spread the word about the 2020 Census and why it is important to participate. 

Now Is the Time to Respond.

Respond to the 2020 Census today!Households still have until September 30th to respond online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 844-330-2020, or by mail. The questionnaire is only nine questions long and takes just minutes to complete. It's safe, secure, and confidential.

Wednesday, September 30 is the very last day for both self-response and door-to-door visitation from enumerators. 

When reaching out to households with foreign-language speakers,  please let them know that options are available to respond online or by phone in many languages. Learn more at http://2020census.gov/languages.


*Note: Some households that have already responded may still get a call or visit from a census taker conducting quality checks. Download a pdf with information about the 2020 Census Taker Visits. For more information on the 2020 Census, FAQs, and information about it affects our community, visit ohiocountylibrary.org/census.  

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