Census Count Delayed by Three Months Because of Coronavirus

[left-of-center2012]

Source: Bloomberg

The once-per-decade U.S. census will be delayed by at least three months, the Commerce Department told Congress on Monday, as the coronavirus pandemic hinders in-person data collection from households.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced field operations will be delayed until June 1, and that in turn would delay completion of the count until Oct. 31. He asked Congress Monday to grant his department a 120-day extension of statutory deadlines as a result of the outbreak. A leading House Democrat said Congress will consider the request.

The 2020 Census will be used to determine the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the distribution of federal tax revenue to the states. The Census said in a statement that under its plan, apportionment counts would be finished by April 30, 2021, instead of Dec. 31 and redistricting data would be delivered to the states by July 31, 2021, instead of March 31, 2021.

The Census Bureau temporarily suspended field data collection activities in March because of the outbreak and said Monday that 70 million households, some 48% of the total, have already responded to the questionnaire.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-13/commerce-plans-three-month-census-delay-because-of-coronavirus?srnd=politics-vp

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“The Oversight Committee will carefully examine the administration’s request, but we need more information that the administration has been unwilling to provide,” House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney, a New York Democrat, said in a statement.

“The Constitution charges Congress with determining how the Census is conducted, so we need the administration to cooperate with our requests so we can make informed decisions on behalf of the American people.”

[Mr.Bill]

1. Having worked "field operations" for the 2010 Census

I can tell you it going to be difficult for mostly elderly people to be out doing this in 100+ degree temperatures in some parts of the country. I was in my 50s then and I walked as much as ten miles a day doing this. It was grueling In March. I can't imagine it in June.

[former9thward]

3. Then elderly people should not sign up to work this.

Why would they if they can't do it?

[Mr.Bill]

4. Same reason anyone signs up for any job.

They need the money. And they signed up awhile ago. They thought at the time the work would be done before the weather got that hot.

[former9thward]

5. Then they should resign if it is too hot.

I am not sure what you are trying to say. Should we cancel the census because some elderly people can't walk around? It seems you are trying to throw up roadblocks which are impossible to get over. Why?

[Mr.Bill]

7. Just making a statement as a former Census worker.

Not implying I have any solutions. And I would bet many of them will quit. Even in good weather, I saw some that were not able to do it and did quit. Maybe the problem is the expectations of what the job required did not fit reality. During the one week training class, I could spot who was not going to be physically up to it. Some quit on the first day of field work. They still got paid for one week of training, maybe that was their intention.

[former9thward]

9. I agree with your comments.

In 2009 I participated in several Census projects which were run-ups to the 2010 count. Then in 2010 I participated in several projects as a enumerator and enumerator supervisor. I also participated in 2015 in the mid-decade partial census for several cities in Arizona. In 2010 I worked in Tempe, Phoenix and Mesa. Yes it was hot. And I agree with your comments about people attending the training sessions.

One thing, I never saw anyone cracking any whips in the Census. Where I was, everyone, including supervisors, were pretty relaxed and we got the job done.

I am back in Chicago now and I signed up for the 2020 count. I became dismayed at how disorganized they were in Chicago compared to Arizona and so I told them it was not for me this time. I was disappointed in that but I was not going to waste my time with people who don't know how to get something organized.

[Mr.Bill]

11. I worked in 2009 also.

We were knocking on every door and taking a GPS reading at the door. They told us the idea was to get a GPS reading of the front door of every residence in the country. They told us not to tell anyone we were doing that, but the guy who designed the GPS software went public with it on the internet before we even hit the streets. I wonder how successful they were at this effort.

I was 55 years old at the time and I walked five to ten miles mostly up and down hills and climbed countless stairways five days a week. It was difficult the first few days, but one of my objectives was to lose weight and get in shape. I did succeed at that.

[CreekDog]

15. because they've already been hired, because the job was originally for a cooler time of year

you realize that most field staff have already been hired because they were expecting to begin field work already. no, you probably don't.

we depend on older workers for this because it's a part time, limited time job.

[former9thward]

16. They can quit.

No one is holding a gun to their head saying they have to work in conditions they don't want to work in. What is your solution? End the Census?

[Xipe Totec]

2. Hoping to reduce the population, perhaps?

Given that COVID-19 seems to selectively kill more POC.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

6. it shouldn't help the GOP cause. The census asks questions about households on 4/1/20, right?

[Mr.Bill]

8. On the form you were mailed, that is correct.

What happens next is following up by knocking on the doors of those who didn't reply. Not sure what happens if someone moved or died between 4/1 and now.

[former9thward]

10. You are taking that poster seriously?

You really think the Census is in a conspiracy to have massive amounts of POC die so they can undercount them?

[Xipe Totec]

13. Shhh! You're spoiling it. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. No, but I think Repugs would love to delay/cancel the census, ...

... to avoid redistricting before the 2022 midterm elections.

[Xipe Totec]

12. Does it count if you're dead? nt

[Jimbo S]

17. My application was accepted

I was to be fingerprinted, but they stay-at-home order kicked in. I was to begin work in early May, now not sure when.