This is our Census.
Now let’s make sure we’re heard.
T
he 2020 Census is happening right now. It is a oncea-decade opportunity to support our communities and lay the foundation for future generations to thrive. The census is a constitutionally mandated operation that attempts to count everyone living in the United States every 10 years. It is used to determine the distribution of federal funding across the country and also determines the amount of congressional representatives of every state. New Mexico is, unfortunately, considered a “hardto-count” state which puts us at risk of an undercount. There are a number of barriers for various communities to respond to the census, and rural populations are among the hardest-to-count areas. But you can help us change that and make sure everyone is counted.
When we all count, we all benefit. New Mexico has historically been undercounted, and that has hurt our residents considerably. This year we all have an opportunity to change that and make sure we are all counted. As we focus our efforts on staying healthy during this public health emergency, we must also remember that taking 10 minutes of your time to complete the census will help fund rural health clinics, agriculture, education programs, housing assistance, and more for the next decade. The questions on the census are simple, your answers are protected, and your response will have an immense impact on our community.
The census impacts New Mexico’s funding. New Mexico receives more than $37,000 over 10 years for every single person counted. These dollars go to a number of federal grants and programs in our state that support agriculture, health and human services, housing development, veterans affairs, and so much more. The amount of money we get for these programs for the next decade depends entirely on our responses to the 2020 Census. If we are not fully counted, New Mexico will lose this money to another state.
Be counted, be heard.Complete your 2020 Census. If the U.S. Census Bureau has sent you an invitation to respond to the census or has mailed you your census form, complete the census today. You can respond online (2020census.gov), by phone (844-330-2020), or by mail if you received a paper form. If the Bureau has not yet sent you an invitation or the complete census form, don’t worry. The Bureau will send you the information you need soon. For questions, visit 2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020.
The census impacts our political representation. Your response to the census is also used to adjust or redraw electoral districts and determine how many congressional seats New Mexico receives. Following the 2010 Census, our state was apportioned a third congressional district, adding a third member of congress from New Mexico. Where New Mexico gained a seat because of the responses to the last census, other states lost congressional seats. While we are not at risk of losing a congressional seat this year, we are at risk of losing federal dollars if we don’t count every person.
14 May 2020 • enchantment.coop
