Wonder what Census 2020 asks? Find out here
Are you curious about what 2020 Census asks? If so, you can find out now, because the U.S. Census Bureau released a sample of the paper 2020 Census questionnaire earlier this month.
The sample paper Census 2020 questionnaire asks about the number of people living in the household, if the home is owned or rented, a phone number, as well as the name, sex, age, birthdate, race, and ethnicity of all people in the household. It also asks what each person in the household’s relationship is to the person answering the questionnaire and whether each person in the home usually lives there or somewhere else.
Slideshow: Sample Census 2020 paper questionnaire by U.S. Census Bureau
Why the 2020 Census is so important
Right now, census workers are canvassing neighborhoods, knocking on doors and verifying addresses of houses, apartments, shelters and other residences in preparation for the census which will take place April 1, 2020.
But what do most people know about the census?
Video by Angelica Miranda/AZEdNews and edited by Brooke Razo/AZEdNews: What people do and don’t know about the Census
Census results are used to determine each state’s portion of the more than $675 billion in federal funds distributed each year as well as the number of seats for each state in the U.S. House of Representatives and are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
Population numbers from the census are used to allocate dollars to states, counties, communities and schools that fund critical programs and services for public safety, education, housing, transportation, veterans’ services and social services.
How responses make a difference
The questionnaire asks for each person’s name, age and birthdate to make sure that each person is only counted once, and to help agencies allocate government funding for programs and services that support specific age groups, according to the 2020Census.gov website.
The responses to the question to the home ownership or rental question helps the U.S. Census Bureau produce statistics, rates of home ownership serve as a national economic indicator and, the data helps in administering housing programs and communities planning processes for future housing.
Asking for the relationships between the people in the household helps the Census Bureau identify trends and helps determine funding for federal nutrition, education, housing and other social service benefits in communities, according to a recent article on the Population Research Bureau’s website.
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AZEdNews on Census
Data on the number of people who identify as male or female is used to create statistics used in planning and funding government programs as well as to enforce laws, regulations and policies against discrimination, according a brief about the Census questions on the 2020Census.gov website.
Race/ethnicity results are used to determine eligibility for specific government programs such as the Indian Health Service and help agencies monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions under the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act.
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census.gov website reminds people that they will never ask you for Social Security numbers, money or donations, anything on behalf of a political party or bank or credit card account numbers. If someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau asks one of these things, you may be the target of a scam.
Federal law requires that the U.S. Census Bureau keeps your personal information confidential and your responses are only used for statistical purposes.
Kids are heading #backtoschool, creating new pathways to the future. Shape that future by helping us get an accurate count on the #2020Census. That means making sure you count everyone in your home, including all children. Learn more: https://t.co/K3jzM3Ov0B pic.twitter.com/4ciAM4mjCs
— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) August 19, 2019
No citizenship question on 2020 Census
Earlier this year, there was concern that including a citizenship question on the 2020 Census would lead to an undercount. The 2020 Census form and the sample questionnaire do not include a citizenship question.
The Trump Administration had sought to include a citizenship question in the 2020 Census, but the U.S. Supreme Court blocked that effort by voting 5-4 on June 27, 2019, to uphold a federal judge’s earlier ruling preventing the citizenship question from being included.
President Donald Trump dropped his efforts to add the citizenship question on July 11, 2019, after issuing an executive order to have federal agencies turn over records to determine the citizenship status of all people living in the United States.
New roads. New sidewalks. New ways to get from here to there. The #2020Census will inform funding decisions that shape every community. Read more about how the census paves the way to the future at https://t.co/K3jzM3Ov0B. pic.twitter.com/glzQDG16Tq
— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) August 16, 2019
