While the 2020 Census is well under way with online and mailed responses, COVID-19 has put a halt to the in-person work that needs to happen in order for the Census to be completed. Of course, the health and safety of Census employees is more important than completing the Census by the original deadline, and there are many residents that cannot be counted via online or mailed responses, including the homeless population, those without access to internet, and those living in remote areas. The original plan was to deliver the apportionment counts to the President by December 31, 2020, with the revised schedule to deliver by April 30, 2021.

As of this week, the Census Bureau will resume some 2020 Census field operations in select locations. The Census Bureau will resume dropping off 2020 Census invitation packets at front doors of households in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their home. This operation is also known as Update Leave, which accounts for about 5% of the population.

The complete revised schedule can be found here: https://2020census.gov/en/news-events/operational-adjustments-covid-19.html

For AGS and our clients, there will obviously be a delay for when you receive the latest data. With a new deadline of July 31, 2021 for delivery to Congress, we anticipate that the 2020 Census data will be released in the 2021B release.

If you have not yet responded to the Census, we urge you to do so today! Even if you haven’t got the mailing form, you can still respond online and do your part. Current self-reporting as of May 5, 2020 is at 56.6% nationwide. Check the current rates, including the response in your state, here: https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html