Nebraska and the Census
Every ten years, our government is required by our Constitution to conduct a census of our population. This year, from March 12-20, the United States Census Bureau will send out census forms and instruction to every household in the United States. Although the form may be an inconvenience, it is of the utmost importance to our political process.
The primary function of the United States Census is allocating representatives to Congress, which also determines how many electoral votes each state gets. The Electoral College, which is comprised of the electors from all states, was established by the Founders to ensure small population states like ours are represented in presidential elections.
Our country is unique in the way our rural areas have a voice in their government. In many other countries, government is dominated by the higher population areas while the rural areas, and the people who live there, are often overlooked. The Electoral College is crucial to maintaining the rural American voice. Currently, Nebraska has three Representatives in the House, along with two Senators, resulting in five electoral votes. Although this number may seem insignificant, five electoral votes has made all the difference before and may very well do so in the future.
However, to ensure Nebraska gets the most electoral votes possible, we must make sure every person is counted in the census. Especially in rural areas, completing and submitting census forms in a timely fashion is important because longer travel distances make in-person canvassing difficult.
Fortunately, with new technology the completion of the census form can be done more easily than before. For the 2020 census, individuals can respond by phone, online, or mail. For more information on how to complete your census form, visit: 2020census.gov
The census should not be confused with other questionnaires such as the American Community Survey which is sent out to 3.5 million Americans annually. The American Community Survey can often be intrusive and failure to respond resulting in civil penalties. To fix this, I have introduced legislation (H.R. 2392) to make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, repealing criminal penalties for Americans who choose not to respond to the survey. In order to encourage participation in the decennial census, there is no longer a "long form" with intrusive questions which hurt response rates.
Census Day is designated as April 1st this year where every house will receive their census form and with it their chance to give Nebraska it's voice. Every vote counts so it is crucial we count every person to get an accurate number of the people in Nebraska. Be sure to check your mail for your census form!