February 6, 2020
by Mark Craddock
The U.S. Census is a once-a-decade nationwide head-count hard-wired into the U.S. Constitution.
You can look it up: It’s in Article 1, Section 2 — right after the mandatory age of congressional representatives, and right before the clause which describes how Congressional vacancies should be filled.
The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790. Its results can radically influence life in the U.S., from the mighty to the mundane, for a decade to come – everything from how many congresspeople a state gets and how voting districts are drawn, to whether pot-holes get fixed and school lunches are served.
Unlike voting, participating in the census is one civic duty required by law.
In about a month, the counting will begin.
Staying safe
But in this age of “hacking” and “phishing,” of phone and e-mail scams, of online privacy breaches and political trench warfare, how are people to know if they are doing their civic duty or falling victim to a scam?
The U.S. Census bureau’s website has some advice that may help:
First, the Census Bureau will not send you unsolicited e-mails. If you get one, delete it. It’s quite probably a “phishing” scam.
“Phishing is a criminal act in which someone tries to get your information by pretending to be an entity that you trust,” according to the U.S. Census website. “Phishing emails often direct you to a website that looks real but is fake—and may be infected with malware.”
The Census Bureau will never ask for your Social Security Number, your bank account numbers or credit card information. It will not seek money or donations and will not contact you on behalf of a political party.
If someone calls asking for this information, hang up. It’s probably a scam.
The Census Bureau says if someone visits your home to collect a response for the 2020 Census, you can do the following to verify their identity:
First, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. If you still have questions about their identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If it is determined that the visitor does not work for the Census Bureau, you are urged to contact your local police.
So how does this work?
April 1, 2020, is the official “census day,” the day in which the national snapshot is taken. But it a massive undertaking. The census may technically count where everyone lives as of April 1, but it takes months of effort before and after that date to comprehensively gather and tabulate the numbers.
Here are some key dates, courtesy of census.gov:
• Jan. 21: The U.S. Census Bureau started counting the population in remote Alaska. The count officially began in the rural village of Toksook Bay. According to the Anchorage Daily News, 90-year-old Lizzie Chimiugak, a Yup’ik elder, was officially the first person counted in the 2020 Census.
• March 12-20: Households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail.
• March 30 – April 1: The Census Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness over these three days. As part of this process, the Census Bureau counts people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets, and at non-sheltered, outdoor locations such as tent encampments.
• April 1: Census Day is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail.
• April: Census takers will begin visiting college students who live on campus, people living in senior centers, and others who live among large groups of people. Census takers also begin conducting quality check interviews to help ensure an accurate count.
• May – July: Census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.
• December: the Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the President and Congress as required by law.
How to get involved
Meanwhile, the U.S. Census Bureau is still seeking temporary workers to help in the decennial canvass.
The bureau needs census takers, field supervisors, recruiting assistants, clerks and office operations supervisors in just about every county in the nation, including Huerfano, Las Animas Colfax counties.
To apply for a job, the applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, at least 18 years old, with a valid Social Security number and e-mail address.
In addition, applicants must be able to speak and read English, be registered with the Selective Service System if they are male born after Dec. 31, 1959, undergo fingerprinting and a pass a criminal background check, commit to complete training and be available to work flexible hours. The U.S. Census website says census takers in Las Animas and Huerfano counties can expect $16 per hour, while the pay rate in Colfax County, is $16.50 per hour.
To apply for a Census job, go to 2020census.gov.