ATLANTA – State Representative Park Cannon (D-Atlanta) today announced that April 1, 2019 marks one year until Georgians will complete the 2020 Decennial Census on April 1, 2020.
“The U.S. Decennial Census is one of the constitutional pillars of American democracy, and it is of extreme importance that we count everyone so that all of our voices can be heard and to guarantee that the programs our neighbors depend on can be fully funded,” said Rep. Cannon. “There is nothing to gain from not being counted and nothing to fear from the process. It is a violation of federal law for anyone to disclose or publish any information that identifies an individual or business, and my colleagues and I take that very seriously.”
The 2020 Census includes every resident living in the U.S., which includes non-U.S. citizens. The data gathered from the nationwide census will be used to determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The census also helps draw state and federal legislative district boundaries, and it is used to distribute funding for federal government programs. Nearly 300 government programs depend on census data, which total to more than $600 billion in funding annually. Some of these programs include Medicaid/PeachCare, SNAP benefits (food stamps), federal housing assistance and foster care.
“I am not going to wait to make sure the constituents of House District 58 receive a fair and accurate count of their communities, and citizens can help by getting started now,” continued Rep. Cannon. “Citizens can urge their lawmakers for adequate resources for the census to ensure that all kids and hard-to-reach demographics are counted. It is vital that we reach children under 5, children of color, those living with grandparents or other non-parental caregivers, children of immigrant or non-English speaking households and those living in poverty. I want to encourage my constituents to advocate for the work of their U.S. Census Complete Count Committee to continue their efforts and to also share information with friends and colleagues about why the 2020 Census matters.”
This year, respondents can fill out their census online through July, and door-to-door census counters will begin visiting non-responsive addresses starting in May. Every household will have the option of responding online, by mail or by phone.
For more information about the 2020 Census, please click here. To learn more about completing the 2020 Census online, please click here.
Representative Park Cannon represents the citizens of District 58, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Human Relations & Aging, Insurance and Small Business committees. She is a member of the Working Group on Creative Arts & Entertainment.
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