Michigan leaders are expressing concern and disappointment after the Supreme Court ruling to halt the 2020 Census. After the Supreme Court’s decision, the Census Bureau said field operations would end on Thursday. Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II said Michigan can’t afford to lose out on Census funding. In light of the many obstacles the 2020 Census has faced during the pandemic, I am calling on the federal government and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to continue the 2020 Census to its original deadline of Oct. 31. “Every day matters and an undercount in the 2020 Census would have drastic consequences for the state.

Leaders of Michigan’s “Be Counted” campaign spoke Tuesday about the challenges and successes of completing the census, which impacts federal funding for schools, road repairs and other public programs. “We are deeply concerned that numerators will not have sufficient time to ensure that Michigan’s most vulnerable communities are fully counted,” state demographer Eric Guthrie said. “We are confident that Michigan’s wealthiest areas will be fully represented in the 2020 census. The “Be Counted” campaign is using advertisements to inform people about the importance of the census as well as knocking on doors in communities with limited access to the internet. The self-response rate for the entire U.P.

Don’t forget to check your email because you may receive an email from the U.S. Census Bureau in the near future. In an effort to gathering more responses, the bureau is planning to email more than 20 million households in low-responding areas through September to encourage them to take part in the census. This will include residents who have already filled out the census but live in the low-response areas. The city of Detroit’s census response rate was 47.9 percent as of July 15. The deadline for households to respond to the 2020 Census is Oct. 31.

Michigan ranks in the top tier of 2020 Census response, but some areas are lagging behind. In Michigan, Livingston, Macomb, Midland, Ottawa, Oakland and Lapeer counties lead the way, all about 76 percent response. Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Beverly Hills, East Grand Rapids, Lathrup Village and Berkley lead response rates for cities in the state, all above 86 percent. If you havent taken the Census yet for your household, you can quickly fill it out online, if you have the survey code. Specifically, data from the 2020 Census are used to:Ensure public services and funding for schools, hospitals, and fire departments.

We’re just weeks away from the start of the 2020 Census. Starting in mid-March, households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020. The 2020 Census does not ask whether you or anyone in your home is a U.S. citizen. During the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will never ask you for:Your Social Security number.