ATLANTA – State Representatives Penny Houston (R-Nashville), Clay Pirkle (R-Ashburn) and Sam Watson (R-Moultrie) encourage residents in Tift County to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census before the September 30 deadline. As of September 3, Georgia’s self-response rate is 60.4 percent, which is behind the national average of 65.1 percent; the response rate in Tift County is 55.7 percent.
“Tift County has done an excellent job reaching more than half of its citizens, but we are still lagging behind the state and national averages,” said Rep. Houston. “The census is simple and only takes a few minutes to complete, but it can have a lifetime impact on our communities in Tift County. So, please contact your friends and family in Tift County to make sure we all do our part to complete the census.”
“The U.S. Census is a vitally important responsibility of each citizen,” said Rep. Pirkle. “Making sure you and your family are counted only happens once every decade, yet it determines the number of men and women who represent your voice on the state and national level. Please don’t be silent.”
“A complete and accurate U.S. Census count will allow our rural communities to receive the necessary support they need to grow and thrive in the decades to come,” said Rep. Watson. “I want to remind the citizens who have completed the census to simply reach out to their neighbors to make sure they take part in this important civic duty as well.”
The 2020 U.S. Census ensures accurate representation for districts at both the state and federal level. The number of Georgians counted in the census also helps direct federal funding to local communities for health care, emergency and disaster response, education and infrastructure. For demographic purposes, large and small businesses may also base their future planning on the census results.
Georgians can respond to the 2020 U.S. Census online at my2020census.gov, which takes approximately five minutes to complete. Households may also call 844-330-2020 or fill out and return the official U.S. Census Bureau mail that they may have received. Households have through September 30 to respond to the census, but they are encouraged to respond as soon as possible.
Additionally, the Governor’s Complete Count Committee (CCC) and his nonpartisan initiative called “Every. One. Counts.” have been working to ensure that every Georgia resident is counted.
For more information on Georgia’s participation in the census, please visit https://census.georgia.gov or follow @gacensus2020 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more information on the “Every. One. Counts.” initiative, please click here.
Representative Penny Houston represents the citizens of District 170, which includes all of Berrien and Cook counties and portions of Tift County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1997 and currently serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development. She also serves on the Banks & Banking, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Economic Development & Tourism and Ways & Means committees.
Representative Clay Pirkle represents the citizens of District 155, which includes Ben, Hill, Irwin and Turner counties and portions of Tift and Coffee counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee and Secretary of the State Properties Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Banks & Banking, Higher Education, Motor Vehicles and Science and Technology committees.
Representative Sam Watson represents the citizens of District 172, which includes portions of Colquitt, Thomas and Tift counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government. He also serves as Secretary of the Retirement Committee, and as a member on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Natural Resources & Environment, Special Rules, Transportation and Ways & Means committees.
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