Shilo Chavez, Subcommittee Co-Chair for the Main Street Business Committee.
On Thursday, March 5th, the McKenzie County Count Committee hosted a kickoff event at Stonehome Brewing Company, Watford City, ND. The purpose of this event was to inform people who live and work in McKenzie County of just how important it is to participate in the 2020 Census.
The McKenzie County Complete Count Committee was established by the McKenzie County Commission and is composed of representatives throughout McKenzie County. The goal of the committee is to help get the most accurate population count of the area, with emphasis on "Counting Everyone Once, Only Once, and in the Right Place."
Responding to the Census is not only your civic duty; it affects how education, housing, and social services should be funded in the city you live in. Specifically, data obtained from the 2020 Census is used to ensure public services and funding is in place for schools, hospitals, and fire departments. It is also used to plan new homes and businesses and used to determine how many seats your state is allocated in the House of Representatives. Census participation is important for everyone in the United States.
Every ten years, the United States Government conducts a Census that counts all the people who live in the United States. No matter a person's age, whether you have lived here all your life or have just arrived here from another country, everyone counts. Everyone is required by law to complete the 2020 Census information.
The information collected by the Census is used only by the U.S. Census Bureau to get an accurate count of everyone in the United States. Your personal information will not be shared with any other government agencies. Your information can only be used to produce statistics.
Starting in mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your household in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. The Census will be available in multiple languages and include ten easy questions such as name, relationship to householder, phone number, number of persons in the household, age, sex, race, etc.
Beginning in May, census workers called "enumerators" will begin neighborhood visits to count those households who did not use the online or phone reporting option. The Census will never ask for your social security number or financial information while visiting. If you are suspicious, ask the census visitor to see their census identification.
Shilo Chavez, who is the subcommittee co-chair for the Main Street Business Committee, explained, "With the upcoming 2020 Census, we are hoping to spread the word regarding how important a correct count in McKenzie County will be. Many people misunderstand the criteria for counting in McKenzie County, and we believe we can work together to help spread the correct information to benefit everyone in our community."
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