Census Day is April 1, 2020 and serves as the reference date for the 2020 Census. Contra Costa County residents began receiving invitations in March to participate in the 2020 Census from the U.S. Census Bureau. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Census determines how billions of dollars of federal funding are distributed to each state every year for education resources, affordable housing programs, nutrition and health care services. Participating in the Census can help ensure Californians’ voices are heard in Sacramento and Washington, D.C.
Although our county and state are ordered to shelter-in-place due to COVID-19, it has never been easier to respond to the Census from the comfort and safety of your own home. Every Contra Costa resident can respond to the Census online at https://my2020census.gov and by phone. The invitation mailed out in March includes information on how to fill out the Census form and will include a unique Census ID linked to a physical address. You are encouraged to use your Census ID to fill out the form, but it isn’t necessary to be counted. Live customer service is available in 13 languages.
“The stakes are incredibly high, as the recent COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important federal funding and representation in our government can be for our County,” said Board Chair, Candace Andersen. “From day one, our focus and the key to ensuring a complete count has been to reach the hard-to-count populations in Contra Costa County. Everyone counts.”
As of March 12, all lines will begin live customer service representative support providing information about the 2020 Census and assistance with the questionnaire. Support on all language lines will end on July 31, 2020.
For more information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit www.cococensus.org.