Whitmer, Others Urge Census Bureau To Restore October Deadline
MICHIGAN — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined several other governors from around the U.S. Tuesday in sending a joint letter to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Commerce urging them to reinstate the census collection and response period to Oct. 31.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently slashed the period by an entire month, bringing the early deadline to Sept. 30.
“The Trump Administration’s last-minute, under-the-cover-of-darkness changes to the U.S. Census deadline threaten our ability to get an accurate count, which will be used to determine Congressional representation and federal funding for the next decade,” Whitmer said in a statement. “It is more important than ever that we be able to reach and account for every Michigander to ensure we receive funding for essential programs to help Michiganders recover from the COVID-19 crisis and be successful over the next decade – services like child care, education, foster care, and special education. I urge the U.S. Census Bureau to restore the Oct. 31 deadline to give states the time needed to get a complete and accurate count.
"I’m also calling on all Michigan residents to complete the Census immediately, whether it’s online, by phone, or by mail, to ensure our communities receive the resources they’ve worked so hard to earn.”
In April, Congress and the White House agreed to extend Census count operations through Oct. 31 in light of the challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. There is still a possibility that Congress will act to extend the statutory deadline for delivering the population count beyond Dec. 31, the state said.
Despite the agreement, in August, the U.S. Census Bureau, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced they were shortening the 2020 Census deadline to Sept. 30.
Related: 2020 Census To End Count A Month Early In Michigan
Historically, the U.S. Census has undercounted minorities, immigrants, those living in poverty, and young children, Whitmer's office said, with the coronavirus pandemic only highlighting such pre-existing inequities in the state and around the nation.
In Michigan alone, 3.3 million people are considered Hard to Count based on the Census Bureau’s own Low Response Score calculation which factors in internet access, rental rate and more to determine which areas are less likely to respond to the 2020 census.
With the shortened timeline, Whitmer said the Trump Administration is making it nearly impossible to ensure these HTC communities are counted and as a result compromising funding for all Michiganders.
Read More: Census Undercount In Michigan Could Leave Billions On The Table
This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch
