Census 2020 is Here: Respond Online, by Phone or by Mail

Information provided by Anne McMillin, Churchill County PIO --  Residents may respond to census starting today A variety of public events will be held over the next few weeks to help Churchill County residents fill out their census information. Remember that the census is important, easy and safe to fill out in one of the three ways available to complete it this year:

• Online:visit nv.gov
• Phone:call 1-844-330-2020 (English) or 1-844-468-2020 (Spanish)
• Mail:most Nevadans will receive a census invitation in the mail between March 12-20. For those who have a PO Box or undeliverable mail, the U.S. Census Bureau will attempt to drop a 2020 Census packet at their doorstep.

Federal Census workers will begin knocking on doors in early May for those who have not yet filled out the form. Nevadans who self-respond by May 1 will not be visited by a federal census worker at their place of residence. Churchill County Census Events Census events start in earnest this week and continue through early April.

• March 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Our Slice of the Pie! Census presentation, assistance to fill out your census and pie at the William N. Pennington Life Center
• March 12 at 12:30 p.m.: Census demonstration on filling out the form at the Churchill County Library
• April 1 (Census Day) from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Census demonstration at the Churchill County Library
• April 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.: Census concert at Telegraph Coffee
• April 2 from 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Census story time at the Churchill County Library

Public Computers Available at Various Locations If you can’t stop by one of the fun events, computers are available at the following locations in Fallon for folks to complete the census on their own:

• Churchill County Library, 553 South Maine Street
• William Pennington Life Center, 952 South Maine Street
• Fallon Tribal Health Center, 1001 Rio Vista Drive
• Wolf Center, 457 Esmeralda Street
• Fallon Chamber of Commerce, 85 North Taylor Street
• Job Connect, 121 Industrial Way

Importance of the Census The census is important for a variety of reasons:

• It helps determine political representation in Washington, DC (Nevada received another seat in the House of Representatives based on data collected from the 2010 census)
• Helps determine our allocation of $675 billion in federal funding which meant more than $6.2 billion to Nevada in 2016
• The census is required by the U.S. Constitution
• The census is secure. By law, data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau cannot be shared with any other federal agency including immigration agencies, law enforcement or agencies determining eligibility for government benefits.

How is Census Data Used? Census data is used for many purposes including:

• Businesses deciding where to open new stores and what type of services and products to offer
• Developers use it to plan where to build new homes and to revitalize neighborhoods
• Transportation planners use census data to decide on roads and public transit routes
• Local governments use census date to decide where to build schools, libraries and parks.
• Non-profit groups use the date for their grant applications and delivery of services

Census Process Every household will have to option of responding online, by mail or by phone starting this week when postcards will arrive in mailboxes across the U.S. Most Nevadans, about 80 percent, will receive the invitation to participate in the census via postcard. The postcard will have a code on it for those choosing to participate online or by phone. For those using a P.O. box to receive their mail, a census worker will drop off a paper census form at your residence to be completed by mail or online. The census form is about 12 questions requiring about 10 minutes to fill out and centers around age, ethnicity and those living in your household. The information provided will be valid for 10 years (until the next census in 2030) and offers an accurate description of who we are as a people in addition to helping determine resource allocation. The Census is Secure The census will not ask for your:

• Social Security number
• Money/donations/contributions to any cause or agency
• Bank account or credit card numbers
• Income
• Political affiliation
• Immigration or citizenship status

Census Timeline March 12-20: Postcard arrives in your mailbox inviting residents to participate online. Some households will also receive a paper form. March 16-24: A reminder letter sent to those who have not responded online. March 26-April 3: A reminder postcard arrives to those who have not responded. April 8-16: A reminder letter and paper questionnaire arrives. April 20-27: A final reminder postcard arrives before a census worker follows-up in-person at your home.       Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.