Photo by Jesse Chambers
Birmingham City Hall
Birmingham City Hall seen from Linn Park.
Local and state officials in Alabama have been spreading the word for months that it is critical for all citizens to be counted in the upcoming 2020 census.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, for example, has warned that the state could lose one of its seats in the U.S. Congress if all of its citizens are not counted.
In addition, federal funding for communities and state, local and federal redistricting are all dependent on an accurate population count, according to a news release Jan. 9 from the Birmingham City Council.
At the council’s regular meeting for Tuesday, Jan. 14, Council President William Parker said that the council will stand up a new committee to help boost census participation in the city.
The committee will work with the Mayor Randall Woodfin’s office and other community groups in the effort, according to Parker.
The council’s efforts to boost census participation are part of its “Count Me In” initiative, according to the news release.
The council also voted on Jan. 14 to allow Woodfin to make a grant application with the U.S. Department of Justice through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs for a $10,000 grant to be used by the Birmingham Public Library to increase awareness of the 2020 Census in hard-to-count communities.
No matching funds will be due from the city, according to the text of the agenda item.
It is estimated that the 2010 census missed about 2.1 percent of the African-American population and 1.5 percent of the Hispanic population in the United States, according to the council release.
The U.S. Census Bureau will mail questionnaires to every household between March 12–20, 2020. Citizens can also complete their forms online or by telephone.
Parker said that the council will soon release more details regarding the body’s efforts regarding the census.
Look for updates to this story as additional information is made available.
