During these uncertain times, there is one very easy and safe thing that you can do to help our community and our state. That one thing is filling out your 2020 Census form. This form is extremely important as it will shape our area’s future for the next 10 years.

Every 10 years the United States conducts a Census as mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the US constitution. This year marks the 24th time that the country has done this count going back to 1790. This count is done by the US Census Bureau, a non-partisan federal government agency. In the Census, they will ask questions like how many people live in your household, their ages, and what type of house is at that location.

Your participation cannot be understated. By taking part in the Census, you are helping ensure that our area is counted and our voices are heard. For example, the Census is used to determine how many seats in the United States House of Representatives Wisconsin gets. The more seats, the greater say we have in Congress. Also, having more seats in Congress means Wisconsin gets more seats in the Electoral College, which determines who our next President will be.

Moreover, the Census is a key factor in how much funding is given to Wisconsin from Congress. Hundreds of billions of dollars flow to states every year based on the data collected from the Census. These funds help repair our roads, they help support wildlife preservation in our community, determine how much funding our schools receive, and determine housing aid for older adults, among many, many other programs.

Responding is easy. You should have received an official invitation to respond to the Census in the mail. In that invitation, you would have received a Census ID. You can use that ID to complete the survey either online, by phone, or by mail. If you did not receive your invitation you can contact the US Census Bureau for another form. They can be reached at 844-330-2020.

As of 4/21/20, here are the percentage of households in our community that have completed the survey. As you can see, more US Censuses need to be completed in Western Wisconsin!

Buffalo – 54.2% Dunn – 58.1% Eau Claire – 66.1% Pepin – 54.1% Pierce – 58.6% In response to Covid-19, the Census Bureau has also undertaken several precautions. They have temporally suspended field data collection, which will be resumed at a later date. In addition, all in-person activities will incorporate the most current guidance on health and safety, including recommending personal protective equipment and social distancing for staff.

Wisconsin and our community are counting on you to stand up and be counted. For more information you can go to www.2020census.gov Help shape our future, please participate in the US Census 2020.