If you have not responded to the 2020 Census, chances are you’ve probably had a visitor to your home attempting to gather information.
As part of its Nonresponse Followup Operation (NRFU), the U.S. Census Bureau is visiting every household that has not already responded to the 2020 Census to ensure a complete and accurate count.
Census takers are scheduled to visit the nonresponding household through September 30, 2020 to ask a few questions and will enter the answers on their secure Census Bureau smart phone. If a family member is not home when the census taker visits, they will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online or by phone. As necessary, they will make additional visits to collect responses from the household.
The nationwide self-response rate is currently 65.7 percent. In Georgia, the self-response rate is slightly lower than the national rate with 61.1 percent responding. In Washington County, 47.6 percent have responded to the 2020 Census.
Census takers will follow social distancing protocols and all applicable state and local requirements with regard to health and safety.
Until September 30, 2020, households can continue to respond online or by phone.
The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. The goal of the 2020 Census is to count everyone who lives in the United States on April 1, 2020 (Census Day). Census statistics are used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and inform how billions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers annually for the next 10 years. Census results also shape the future of communities, as census data informs how billions of dollars in federal funds are distributed for health clinics, school lunch programs, disaster recovery initiatives, and other critical programs and services for the next 10 years.
Census forms can be completed by mail, phone, or online. Visit www.2020census.gov for additional information.