This spring, the federal government, as required by the United States Constitution, will conduct a population count of everyone living in the Unites States. In order to do this, individuals will be asked to take part in the 2020 Census, which, in turn, will help benefit our local community.

Census data is used to determine our region’s funding for local resources, such as schools, hospitals, health insurance, roads, public works and so much more. It also will determine the number of representatives we have in Congress.

Under the Constitution, the federal government is only required to conduct the census every 10 years, meaning that the data received from this year’s count will deeply impact our community and school funding until the next census in 2030.

The official census day was April 1, 2020 and individuals should have received information in the mail by mid-March. The questionnaire includes just a few simple questions that can be answered in as little as 10 minutes either online by phone, or by mail. Rest assured that your responses are kept completely confidential, as census workers who violate your privacy can face severe fines or even jail time.

It is up to us to stand together to ensure that Long Island and our communities are fairly represented in the 2020 Census and set on the right course for the decade ahead. By completing our civic duties, we can all contribute to a brighter future for our region.

For more information about this important issue, please click here.