The constitution of the United States of America requires a census count to be used to deciding how to apportion US House districts among the state’s….
Here’s a look at how the test of the census came out in one county in Rhode Island….
The 2020 Census’ first and only dry run was conducted in Providence County earlier this year. The test run included a new ability to respond to the census through an online survey but did not include the controversial “citizenship question,” which would ask respondents about their U.S. citizenship status. The results from the test will not be published until early next year, according to Census Bureau Public Information Officer Daniel Velez.
In previous years, there has been more than one test before the census roll-out. Originally, the Census Bureau had planned to do three full dry runs — one in Providence County and two others in Washington and West Virginia. Because of years of underfunding, the Bureau had to scale back to one dry run and had no available funds to publicly advertise the census in Providence, said William O’Hare, president of O’Hare Data LLC and Demographic Services.
City and state officials in Rhode Island were concerned about the lack of preparation and public education for the test run last April, the Providence Journal previously reported.
“The City and state of Rhode Island have much to lose should our population fall as a percentage of the national whole; including federal funding for seniors, roads and educational programs, and the state’s representation in Congress could be affected,” wrote Ben Smith, deputy director of communications for Mayor Jorge Elorza, in an email to The Herald. He believes that there will be more advertising when the fully funded census rolls out in 2020.
Facing a lack of funding, national and local organizations — including the Providence Complete Council Committee — stepped up to try to inform the public of the dry run. Among the members of this committee was Secretary of the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States Marie Fraley, who helped troubleshoot problems the test census encountered. Fraley said she used social media and both print and online publications to inform and encourage those in the Portuguese community to participate in the test. She hopes to use the outreach model on a national level in 2020….
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Over half of Providence County responded to the census without a phone call or home visit, and 61 percent of those who responded filled out the census online, according to the Census Bureau report. Both the response rate on first attempt and internet response rate were higher than the Bureau expected, according to the report.
Though the online response format will save the Bureau money, some have questioned its effect on rural areas….