SPLC Statement on Final Day of U.S. Census Counting

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The following statement about the final 24 hours of counting for the 2020 census is by Nancy Abudu, deputy legal director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. Until 6:00AM Eastern Daylight Time on October 16, people living in the United States can visit 2020census.gov to respond and be counted. 

“Because of a self-imposed deadline by the Trump administration and an anti-democratic Supreme Court ruling, today is the final day to complete the census. Filling out the census ensures everyone living in the United States matters in the distribution of essential funding and has political representation for the next decade. Visit 2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020 today to easily and safely be counted. From school lunches to road improvements to healthcare funding, the final census count has huge significance. 

“On the Trump administration’s decision, it’s unfortunate and self-defeating to end the census count early before 100% of households have been tallied; even fractions of percentages make the difference in the distribution of millions of tax dollars. Moreover, the Census Bureau has failed to share whether the alleged 99% enumeration comes solely from actual in-person communication with door-knockers or includes less effective means of obtaining reliable data. Without sharing that, the bureau's enumeration figures remain deeply questionable."