Thursday is the final day to respond to the 2020 Census. Here’s how to do it
If you haven’t responded to the 2020 Census yet, Thursday is your last chance.
The deadline — originally Oct. 31 — was moved up after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Tuesday allowed the count to cease earlier than scheduled. Now, the U.S. Census Bureau says it will stop collecting data after Oct. 15.
About 99.9% of “housing units” have been accounted for as of Tuesday, the agency said.
Everyone living in the United States and its five territories is supposed to be counted in the Census. One person at least 15 years old should respond on behalf of each household.
It only takes a few minutes, the agency says, and can be done online, over the phone or through the mail. Here’s how to do it.
How to respond online
Visit this website to fill out the 2020 Census online. Responses can be submitted through 11:59 p.m. EDT Oct. 15.
The questionnaire must be completed in one sitting, the agency says. You’ll have to start over if you leave the page and come back later. The questions can be previewed here. The agency recommends using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari — and enabling cookies to complete the form online. Only the “buttons within the questionnaire” should be used to navigate.
The form is available in several languages. After opening the page to respond, click the globe icon at the top and select the language. The language can also be selected “at the bottom of any screen,” the agency says.
“Once you complete your questionnaire online, a confirmation number will appear to indicate that your response was submitted successfully,” the agency says. “If you closed your browser before seeing a confirmation page, return to the online questionnaire and resubmit. If at any time you experience errors responding to the Census online, we recommend opening a new browser window and trying again.”
How to respond over the phone
Call 844-330-2020 or another phone number for a specific language, which can be found here.
Customer service representatives are available in English and Spanish from 7a.m. to 2 a.m. EDT. Non-English and non-Spanish hours are 8a.m. to 10 p.m.
“The Census Bureau also offers web pages and guides in 59 non-English languages, including American Sign Language, as well as guides in Braille and large print,” the agency says. More information can be found here.
A Census worker may call you at the number you provided after you complete the questionnaire.
How to respond through the mail
The Census Bureau in April started mailing paper response forms to households that hadn’t otherwise been counted.
The questionnaires should be filled out in black or blue ink only and then returned in the provided envelope, the agency says. If the envelope is lost, send the form to: U.S. Census Bureau National Processing Center, 1201 E 10th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47132.
Mail-in responses must be postmarked by Oct. 15.
Why is responding important?
The Census count, done every 10 years, determines how many seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives and how federal funds are distributed to communities.
“Over the next decade, lawmakers, business owners and many others will use 2020 Census data to make critical decisions,” the agency says. “The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads and more services for families, older adults, and children.”
The results help decide how federal funds will be allocated to many programs, including Medicaid, SNAP, Head Start and others. They’re also used to redraw electoral districts based on population.
