San Diego County is taking steps to make sure everyone who lives in the county gets counted in the up coming U.S. Census.
The once-a-decade tally of the country’s population officially got underway this week in Alaska, meaning the local census is not far off.
Census forms will be in the mail in March with the entire national population count expected to be completed by July.
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For the first time, San Diego County officials are helping get an accurate count.
“It is vital that every San Diegan participate in the 2020 census,” said San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher. “Every person in our county has dignity. Every person has respect and every single person must be counted in the upcoming census.”
Informative mailers in five languages are being sent to all the county’s registered voters starting this week.
Fletcher said getting the count wrong could be devastating because each person who is not counted can cost San Diego County $2,000 a year, every year, for the next decade.
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“Our census data determine the funds for things that are allocated, like Head Start, foster care, health center programs, Medicaid, national school lunch and many other vital programs that help San Diegans,” Fletcher said.
In addition to the information pamphlets in the sample ballot mailing, there will be information kiosks at libraries, the bookmobile and county buildings with a lot of foot traffic.
Information about the importance of the census will also be passed out with meals for home bound people served by the county.
“We have one chance to get this right,” said Chris Williams of Alliance San Diego. “The census happens every 10 years. If we don’t get this right, right now, then we stand to lose funding. We also stand to lose congressional representation in California and an undercount in San Diego puts us at risk of losing congressional representation, which means one less advocate in Washington, D.C. to bring that funding home.”
