UW Libraries Blog

March 5, 2020

The Top 5 Things You Should Know About the Census 

Veronica Talley, MLIS Graduate Student

UPDATED 3/31/2020

April 1st is Census Day! The 2020 Census kicked off mid-March and runs through July 2020. UW Libraries is here to help you understand all the ins and outs about the Census, how to do it and why it’s important. Check it out:

1. The COVID-19 pandemic won’t change a lot about how you fill out the census.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, you might be wondering where you should be counted or what might have changed about the census. The answer is not too much. Due to your ability to complete the census online, you can do your civic duty from the comfort of your own home and continue to help stop the spread of COVID-19! If you are wondering about where to count yourself continue reading below and visit this site that will help you know where you should be counted.

2.You should participate in the Census.

Responding to the census is required by law, however, you should complete your census form for many other reasons as well. The results of the census help to determine how many seats your state has in the House of Representatives. If your state is counted incorrectly, it might not gain another seat, even if its actual population merits one. The results are also used by state governments to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts. Not only does responding to the census make sure you are represented fairly, but it also helps to create data that can be used to impact funding for things like federal financial aid, school safety, student wellness programs, and more! In fact, because UW is a public institution and receives federal funding, the census results will directly impact us in many ways.

3. You can complete the census online, but beware of email scams!

This year is the first year that households are invited to complete the census online instead of on paper. Beginning around March 12th households throughout Seattle and the country will begin to receive these invitations in the mail. These invitations will have instructions for how to fill out the census online. It is important to note that the Census Bureau will NEVER send you anything through email, so just keep an eye out for a letter in the regular old snail mail!

4. How you complete the census depends on where you are living on April 1st.

The Census Bureau defines where you live as where you sleep most of the time. So, If you live with your parents, you will be counted in their household. If you live in the dorms, you will get an email from housing and food services that will let you know what you need to do. This still applies to those of you who might have moved home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although you might be at home with your parents on April 1st (Census Day) you will still be counted at the dorms. Similarly, if you live in Greek housing, the Census Bureau will be contacting each of the houses to make sure you are also correctly counted. If you live with roommates or housemates off-campus you can fill out the online form together. If you choose this option you will need to coordinate with them and decide when to fill it out together. You could even make a party out of the occasion! However, if you are all busy and can’t find time to get together you can just individually fill out the form, only answering the questions about yourself and skipping the rest. The Census Bureau wants to count everyone who is living in the U.S. on April 1st, so International students should fill out the census as well. For more information about this please read this press release from the Census Bureau about how to be counted correctly.

5. It only takes 10 minutes to complete.

It only takes 10 minutes. Perhaps you need a break from studying or have a spare 10 minutes during your day, then fill out the census! The census helps to shape so many things about our future, the future of our university, and the future of our country. It’s really important and 10 minutes is worth being able to shape our future.

If you would like to learn more, visit the census website here. You can also read this blog post written by President Cauce about the importance of participating in the census, and check out UW Libraries Digital Exhibit and Guide: Census 2020!