In case you didn’t hear, the 2020 U.S. Census is less than a year away from happening, and state leaders have started the process by holding awareness campaigns because a lot is at stake, including redistricting and funding.
Democratic Rep. Paul Mark, chairman of the House Committee on Redistricting, said it is his job this year to make sure people in the 2nd Berkshire District, which includes Bernardston, Charlemont, Colrain, Greenfield, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Northfield and Rowe in Franklin County, are aware of the census and what to expect — and that everyone fills it out.
“The census is very important for many reasons, but I have a personal interest because it affects redistricting,” Mark said. “We draw district lines based on those numbers, so we want everyone counted.”
The U.S. Census is taken every 10 years.
Mark said if towns are undercounted, districts grow geographically, and that means representatives and senators are less available to everyone, because they represent so many more constituents. He said the voices of constituents become diluted.
“It’s also important to get accurate numbers because hundreds of state- and federally funded programs are based on a formula that is based on how many people live in a town or district,” he said.
Mark said, for instance, if a town is undercounted, it may not receive as much Chapter 90 money for its roads. He said everyone, from the youngest infant to the oldest adult must be counted in every town across the state and nation.
Mark currently serves 16 towns, including 10 in Franklin County and six in Berkshire County. His colleague Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Sunderland, for example, serves 19 towns.
He said the House Committee on Redistricting is holding kickoff events throughout the state to raise awareness and eventually make sure things go smoothly and accurately when it’s time. He said the census will begin in April 2020 and by May or June, census takers will knock on the doors of residents that haven’t filled out the information.
This year, most people will fill out forms online, said Jessica Atwood, economic development program manager for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments. She is heading up the Franklin County Complete Count Committee.
“In the past, people have received a paper form, but it will be different this year,” Atwood said. “Instead, every household will receive a letter telling them to go online. The committee’s job is to get the word out.”
She said the committee’s job is actually two-fold. “First, we will be running an awareness campaign. Then, we’ll be addressing the online issue for those who don’t have a computer or are not wired.”
Atwood said the committee met to brainstorm and came up with a couple of ideas already. She said one is to have access points across the county where people who don’t have computers or aren’t wired can go to fill it out with some guidance. She said the committee is also discussing how it might help homebound residents who don’t have computers complete the census.
“We need to figure out our target audiences — who needs the most help — and then go from there,” she said. “We also need to identify partners who might be able to help us get through to those audiences.”
Atwood said the committee will also have to identify places that can be used as access points, as well as resources that might be needed.
She said FRCOG and Community Action Pioneer Valley received a Mass Census Equity Fund Grant of $10,000 to provide money for staff time to work on the effort, as well as to buy advertising to make people aware of the upcoming census. She said advertising might include a billboard or advertising on the side of a bus, as well as more traditional forms of advertising. And, it might pay for small events or booths at public events.
“The grant will be a huge help,” Atwood said.
She said the census provides not only an accurate count of everyone living in the county, state and nation, but good data that can be used for other purposes, a base mark for future data, redistricting information and information to state and federal governments for financing and funding purposes.
“This is extremely important,” Atwood said. “As the year goes on, we’ll have more information that people need, including when to expect the letter and what it looks like. We don’t want people to be afraid they’re receiving a scam letter, if it’s the real thing, but we also don’t want them to receive something asking for information the census doesn’t.”