Counties Kick Off Year Long Countdown To 2020 Census

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's time to stand up and be counted.

No, really.

The countdown has begun to 2020 Census Count.

While the actual Census Day won't be taken until April 1st, 2020, may communities have launched a year-long run-up of events to encourage people to take part.

On Monday, Broward officially launched its Countdown to 2020 U.S. Census Count.

In Miami-Dade, Commissioner Esteban L. Bovo Jr. held a press conference to outline the county's yearlong extensive outreach efforts in the county.

During the course of this year, the U.S. Census Bureau workers will update the address list in person and open nearly 250 census offices across the country.

An accurate count is crucial because data from the Census, which is conducted every 10 years, is used to determine an area's share of federal funding.

Each year, the federal government distributes more than $675 billion to states and communities based on Census Bureau data.

Communities rely on census statistics to plan for a variety of resident needs including new roads, schools, and emergency services.

An undercount of the population would have severe implications, especially for residents who depend on federal programs. In 2010, Miami-Dade County had a net undercount of 18,000 among young Latino children.

"Though these numbers are deeply troubling, we have the opportunity to get proper representation and funding to every infant, child, and adult who is counted in 2020," Commissioner Bovo said.

The Census also determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries. Redistricting counts are sent to the states by March 31, 2021.

In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau will implement new technology to make it easier than
ever to respond to the census. For the first time, people will be able to respond online, by phone, as well as by mail. They will also use data that the public has already provided to reduce follow up visits.

Federal law protects the confidentiality of all individual responses the Census Bureau collects.

Information gathered during the census will not be shared with immigration enforcement agencies, the FBI or local law enforcement. It will also not be used to determine eligibility for government benefits.

The decennial census is the once-a-decade population and housing count of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. Thomas Jefferson directed the first decennial census in 1790. As required by the U.S. Constitution, a census has been taken every 10 years thereafter.