By April 1, 2020, each of you will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census.  Responding to the census this time will be easier than ever, as this will be the first time you can respond online.
The Constitution mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.
The Governor recently announced the formation of the Arkansas Complete Count Committee. The 30 member task force includes two state senators and two state representatives who have agreed to help promote statewide participation in the 2020 Census.
When you respond to the census, you help your community gets its fair share of the more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs.
The census tells us much more than just the population of our state and our communities. It tells us about the makeup of those populations, from ages and races to how many people own their home.
Businesses use census data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, and this creates jobs. Developers use the census to build new homes and revitalize old neighborhoods.
Local governments use the census for public safety and emergency preparedness. The data can help inform where your community needs a new fire department, more funding for school lunches, or new roads.
The census helps determine how many representatives each state gets in Congress. The information is also used redraw state senate and house district boundaries. Redistricting counts are sent to the states by March 31, 2021.
The answers you provide are used only to produce statistics. You are kept anonymous. The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or anyone else in your home.
For more information visit www.2020census.gov.