College towns plan to challenge results of 2020 census
Some college towns plan to challenge the results of the 2020 census, claiming they were shortchanged because the pandemic forced students to leave campuses and complaining that the undercount could cost them federal money and prestige. College communities such as Bloomington, Indiana; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and State College, Pennsylvania, are exploring their options for contesting the population counts, which they say do not accurately reflect how many people live there. When the pandemic struck the U.S. around spring break of 2020, it set off an exodus in college towns as classrooms went virtual almost overnight. The sudden departure of tens of thousands of students made it difficult to count them in the census, which began at almost the same time. Because universities were able to provide the Census Bureau with records for students living in dorms and other on-campus housing, off-campus students “ran the risk of being missed,” said Dudley Poston, a sociology professor at Texas A&M University. An Associated Press review of 75 metro areas with the largest share of residents between 20 and 24 showed that the census results fell well below population estimates in some cases but also exceeded them significantly in others. Officials in college towns are not sure why there was such variation, and they are reviewing whether it was due to the timing of spring breaks, outreach efforts, or the percentage of students living on campus versus off. Another variable is whether schools cooperated when the Census Bureau asked for records on off-campus students. Only about half of schools did so since many had privacy concerns or did not have the requested information. “You can kind of go crazy thinking about the variations,” said Douglas Shontz, a spokesman for the Borough of State College, home of Penn State University, where officials believe the census missed 4,000 to 5,800 residents. The AP review showed that the population counts were below estimates by about 5% to 7% in Mount Pleasant, Michigan; Greenville, North Carolina; and Bloomington, Indiana, metro areas, which are home to Central Michigan University, East Carolina University, and Indiana University, respectively. The 2020 census put the city of Bloomington at 79,168 residents, a decline from about 80,405 in 2010. City officials expected a 2020 count of 85,000 to 90,000 residents. The nation’s headcount was just beginning in March 2020 when schools, including Indiana University, told students not to return to campus in response to the spread of the coronavirus. Most of the university’s 48,000 students were on spring break. “It’s just not a credible number,” Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton said. “The simplest explanation is that the count was done after the university told students, ‘Don’t return to Bloomington and go back to your parents’ homes.′ I’m not blaming anybody. The university did the right thing to protect its students.” Counting university students has always been a difficult task, even before the pandemic. The Census Bureau’s rule of thumb was that students should be counted at their college addresses, even if the coronavirus temporarily sent them elsewhere on the April 1 date that provides a benchmark for the census. In State College, home to Penn State’s 39,000 students, the bureau’s message prior to the pandemic was that people should be counted “where they sleep most of the time,” which was confusing to students after they went home. As a result, neighborhoods dominated by students had the lowest census response rates in the borough, said State College Borough Manager Tom Fountaine in a memo to city officials. In Greenville, North Carolina, home to East Carolina University’s 29,000 students, the census figure fell more than 6% below estimates, and Mayor P.J. Connelly worries that could affect the city’s ability to get funding for its bus system and low-income housing. Connelly plans to challenge his city’s count of 87,521 residents. “We believe there were some miscalculations based off the college students,” Connelly said. Some metro areas, such as Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Huntsville, Texas, had census counts that were 6% above their estimates, according to the AP review. The cities are respectively home to the University of Alabama and Sam Houston State University. Even so, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox believes thousands of off-campus students were overlooked, and the city plans to challenge the numbers. The 2020 count put the city 400 people shy of 100,000 residents, which could cost it access to certain federal funding that is available only to cities with 100,000 residents or more. “In terms of economic development, the perception of being above 100,000 has a greater psychological impact in your recruiting and development,” Maddox said. Auburn, Alabama, home to Auburn University, had census numbers well above estimates, but city officials believe the strong count was just a correction for an undercount in 2010, city spokesman David Dorton said. Cities, states, and tribal nations can start contesting their numbers in January through the bureau’s Count Question Resolution program, but it looks only at number-crunching errors, such as an overlooked housing unit or incorrect boundaries. The program only revises figures used for population estimates over the next decade that help determine federal funding. The Census Bureau won’t revise the numbers used for determining how many congressional seats each state gets nor the redistricting data used for drawing congressional and legislative districts. “While we are anticipating more cases because of the many challenges the 2020 census went through, the scope is going to be limited, and the data products are going to be limited,” Census Bureau official Matthew Frates told Texas demographers and economists during a presentation last summer. There have been victories in the past, such as the city of Houston’s effort to get its population count revised from 2.09 million to 2.1 million residents after the 2010 census. The change triggered the addition of two city council seats. “It’s going to be an uphill battle, but it’s worth a try,” said Shontz in State College. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Alabama drops lawsuit challenging Census privacy method
The state of Alabama on Thursday asked to dismiss its lawsuit challenging the U.S. Census Bureau’s use of a controversial statistical method aimed at keeping people’s data private in the numbers used for redrawing congressional and legislative districts. Alabama and three Alabama politicians had sued the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, in an effort to stop the statistical agency from using the method known as “differential privacy.” They also wanted to force the bureau to release the redistricting numbers earlier than planned. Normally, the data is released at the end of March, but the Census Bureau pushed the deadline to August because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Alabama originally claimed the delay was caused by the bureau’s attempt to implement differential privacy, which the state’s attorneys said would result in inaccurate redistricting numbers. A three-judge panel in June refused to stop the Census Bureau from using the statistical method. In July, Alabama and the Commerce Department asked that the lawsuit be put on hold so that the state could decide how to proceed after the redistricting data was released in mid-August. “While we continue to believe that the Census Bureau’s production of intentionally skewed redistricting data half a year late was unlawful, dismissing the lawsuit now is in the state’s best interest to allow the Legislature to focus on redistricting based on the data it finally received,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Thursday in a statement. Differential privacy adds intentional errors to the data to obscure the identity of any given participant in the 2020 census while still providing statistically valid information. The Census Bureau says more privacy protections are needed than in past decades as technological innovations magnify the threat of people being identified through their census answers, which are confidential by law. Two actions by the Census Bureau also alleviated some of the Alabama officials’ concerns. First, the statistical agency released the data in August, instead of September as previously planned. Then, it reduced the amount of error injected into the data, Marshall said. “Again, while not perfect, the resulting data Alabama received appears to be more accurate than it likely would have been had Alabama not drawn attention to the Bureau’s plans,” Marshall said. “Given these positive developments and the need to timely complete redistricting, dismissing the lawsuit at this stage makes sense.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Census: Alabama more diverse, a few counties driving growth
Alabama’s population has become more diverse over the last 10 years, and a handful of counties helped drive the state’s population growth, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers released Thursday. Mirroring a trend across the country, Alabama showed an increase in racial and ethnic diversity in the new Census numbers. The percentage of people who identify as white dropped while the state saw an increase in the Hispanic population and a doubling of the percentage of people who identify as multiracial. Whites continue to be the largest racial group in Alabama, but the percentage of people in Alabama who identify as white shrunk from 68.5% in 2010 to 64.1% in 2020. The percentage of people who identify as two or more races more than tripled from 1.5% to 5.1%. The percentage of people who identify as Hispanic increased from 3.9% to 5.3%. There was the slightest decrease in the percentage of people who identify as Black falling from 26% to 25.6. Alabama legislators will use the new census numbers to reconfigure the state’s seven U.S. House districts, 105 state House districts, and 35 state Senate districts. Republicans hold all but one of Alabama’s congressional seats and have wide majorities in the Alabama Legislature. Jefferson County remains Alabama’s most populous county, followed by Mobile, Madison, Baldwin, and Montgomery counties, according to numbers released Thursday. The numbers released Thursday show a handful of counties are rapidly growing while much of the state has been stagnant or seen a decline in population. Madison County added the most people with a population increase of 53,342. Baldwin County was next with a population increase of 49,502. The two counties that are home to the state’s largest universities ranked third and fourth. Lee County added 33,994 people, and Tuscaloosa County added 32,380 people. Shelby County had the fifth-largest growth at 27,939. Alabama’s Black Belt region continued to see population declines, with counties losing 5% or more of their population over the last 10 years. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
With a lot to lose, Alabama falls behind in 2020 Census response amid COVID-19 pandemic
The 2020 U.S. Census is facing an extraordinary challenge: attempting to count every single resident and legal immigrant in the United States amid a pandemic that has much of the country on lockdown. And the response rate has fallen behind the national average in Alabama. Even under typical circumstances, only around two-thirds of residents bother responding and with census workers canceling face-to-face contact that they usually rely on for census numbers, the numbers are even lower. Instead, workers have had to increase the number phone calls, letters they’ve set in the mail, and online contacts they’re making in hopes of reaching every American. On Saturday, the federal government released it’s latest round of 2020 Census Self Response Rates, and it shows 53.2 percent of households have responded to the survey so far. But in Alabama, only 51.5 percent have given their information, falling behind the national average. Multiple reminders have already been sent in large white envelopes to every household that say “Your Response is Required By Law.” Responding takes less than 10 minutes and you are able to do it from the safety of your own home. A lot at stake Alabama has a lot at stake in the 2020 U.S. Census — from a seat in the U.S. House of Representative to a vote in the Electoral College, as well as federal funds — depending on participation levels and what the results indicate. A 2018 study by George Washington University indicated the U.S. government returned more than $1,567 to the state in 2015 for every Alabamian counted in the census. More than 100 federal programs use data collected during census counts as part of their formulas to distribute billions of dollars in federal funding to the states. Those programs include Medicaid, Medicare Part B, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Highway Planning and Construction, and Title 1 Grants to Local Education Agencies. Census-derived data also is used to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and in legislative redistricting.
Kay Ivey calls for ‘all kids’ to be counted in 2020 Census
Alabama has a lot at stake in the 2020 U.S. Census — from a seat in the U.S. House of Representative to a vote in the Electoral College, as well as federal funds — depending on participation levels and what the results indicate. Which is why Gov. Kay Ivey on Tuesday joined hundreds of children ranging in age from infants through 12-grade students as they rallied on the South Lawn of the Alabama State Capitol Building on Tuesday to encourage state leaders to prioritize the well-being of Alabama’s children by counting all kids in the state’s 2020 census. Parents, pediatricians and other advocates for children also participated. Rallygoers warned if Alabama does not accurately record the number of individuals living here, the state could miss out on tens-of-millions of dollars in federal aid needed to adequately support programs for children and families. In 2010, Alabama only accounted for 72 percent of its estimated population. As a result, advocates noted that the state received far less in federal assistance than it needed due to the low count. To ensure the state gets its fair share of moving forward, participants called on state lawmakers to appropriate the funding and resources needed to guarantee an accurate and complete count in the 2020 census. “The vision of Alabama’s youngest citizens is ultimately what will drive our state and nation forward. Whatever our students dream to do, we must provide them the tools to be successful,” Ivey said at the rally. “As part of Child Advocacy Day this year, I was proud to remind citizens across the state that we have an opportunity to protect very important education dollars by participating in the 2020 Census. The kids must count today in order for Alabama to count tomorrow. To invest in our future, we must first invest in education.” Ivey was joined by Del Marsh, the President Pro Tempore of the Alabama State Senate; Mac McCutcheon, the Speaker of the Alabama State House of Representatives; and Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange. VOICES for Alabama’s Children VOICES for Alabama’s Children convened Tuesday’s rally as part of its annual Kids Count Advocacy Day activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics – Alabama Chapter, Alabama PTA and Children’s of Alabama joined VOICES as co-hosts and organizers. “Alabama is leaving federal aid on the table because of a low count in the 2010 census,” said Stephen Woerner, the executive director of VOICES for Alabama’s Children. “The failure to count all of our residents, including our children, makes paying for the services the state provides to address the health, safety, education, and overall quality of life for children very difficult. We owe it to our children to make sure all are counted.” The Alabama Kids Count Rally was part of a full day of activities organized by VOICES for Alabama’s Children. Immediately before the rally, VOICES hosted a forum for advocates from across the state to discuss their legislative priorities. Throughout the day, advocates visited with lawmakers to address their concerns regarding the census and other issues facing children. “The data provided by the census is incredibly important for decision makers at the state, county, and local level,” Woerner said. “VOICES believes that what gets measured, gets changed, and the better data we collect the more impactful the decisions our leaders can make for our children.”
Steve Flowers: What will our Congressional districts look like after the 2020 Census
Preparations are being made to take the 2020 Census. This process is not just a fun game to spell out demographic changes and interesting tidbits about us as Americans. It is a very important mandate dictated by the Constitution. The number of people counted determines how many seats each state has in Congress. Thus, it is taken every 10-years. The Country has been changing, demographically, over the last decade, as it always has over the course of history. The states of California, Texas and Florida continue to grow exponentially. All Americans, not just older ones, seek the sun. They like a sunny, warm climate. That is why our neighboring state of Florida is and has been for decades America’s growth state. Last week I visited with you about our 1940’s Congressional Delegation. At that time we had nine seats. We lost one after the 1960’s census. We lost another after 1980. We are projected to lose another one after this upcoming Census of 2020. We now have seven seats. It is predicted that we will only have six after next year. We most certainly will lose one to California if they are allowed to count illegal immigrants. The State Legislature is constitutionally designated as the drawer of lines of congressional districts for each respective state. Currently, we have six Republican seats and one Democratic seat. If indeed we drop from seven to six Congressional districts, how will it shake out. The census will reveal that Huntsville and North Alabama have been our growth spots. Alabama’s population continues to move toward the northern tier of the state. Two out of every three Alabamians live in Birmingham, Hoover, and Tuscaloosa north. The Black Belt continues to lose population. The census will also reveal quite a disparity of financial prosperity. It will show that the same Black Belt counties are some of the poorest areas of the country and conversely Huntsville will be one of the most prosperous. So who are the winners and losers under Congressional redistricting? You start with one premise. You have to have one majority minority African American district. The federal courts have mandated this edict. Therefore, Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s district is sacred. It now is very large, geographically. It will become even larger. The district will take in most of the African American population in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery, and the entire Black Belt stretching from south of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa all the way to Mobile. It will be a big geographic district and be numbered district six rather than seven. This leaves us with five Republican districts and six incumbent Republicans. Therefore, who gets the short end of the stick. A cursory look says the odd person out is Martha Roby in the second district. However, our current delegates have already come up with a plan to save everybody. Mo Brooks, the Congressman from Huntsville, will choose to move up or out in 2022. He is assuming that Senator Richard Shelby retires at age 88. Therefore, Brooks will see his fast-growing Tennessee Valley district divided and delved out to a plan that grows the districts north, which complies with the growth pattern. Our senior and most seniority laden Congressman, Robert Aderholt, will opt to stay in Congress rather than risk a run for the Senate. This is a very wise and prudent move for him and the state. He has over 24-years in seniority and is in line to be Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. He will move north and pick up part of the Huntsville area and he will cut Gadsden loose. Mike Rogers will move north and pick up Gadsden and all of northeast Alabama, which is a more natural fit for him with his native Anniston area. Rogers’ move north will allow him to abandon Auburn-Opelika, which in turn allows Roby’s district to exist primarily like it is with the population centers of East Montgomery, Elmore, Autauga, and the Wiregrass and Dothan and that district will add Auburn-Opelika. The current 6th District of Jefferson-Shelby represented by Gary Palmer will remain essentially the same. Its upscale suburbs will make it one of the most Republican in the nation. The last district seat of Mobile-Baldwin will remain intact and will still be District 1. However, the tremendous growth of Baldwin will require that the district only contain Mobile and Baldwin. The cadre of rural counties north of Mobile that are currently in the District will have to be cut loose to probably go to the Black Belt district. The current 1st District Congressman, Bradley Bryne, is running for the U.S. Senate in 2020. However, his replacement will be a conservative Republican. See you next week. ••• Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Judge blocks citizenship question from 2020 Census
A federal judge in New York on Tuesday ruled against the Trump administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The question to be added was, “Is this person a citizen of the United States?” U.S. households have not been asked such a question on the census since 1950. But, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman said the decision to include such a citizenship question was “unlawful,” writing that “(Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross‘) decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census — even if it did not violate the Constitution itself — was unlawful for a multitude of independent reasons and must be set aside.” “Most blatantly, Secretary Ross ignored, and violated, a statute that requires him, in circumstances like those here, to collect data through the acquisition and use of ‘administrative records’ instead of through ‘direct inquiries’ on a survey such as the census,” Furman wrote. “Additionally, Secretary Ross’s decision to add a citizenship question was ‘arbitrary and capricious’ on its own terms: He failed to consider several important aspects of the problem; alternately ignored, cherry-picked, or badly misconstrued the evidence in the record before him; acted irrationally both in light of that evidence and his own stated decisional criteria; and failed to justify significant departures from past policies and practices ― a veritable smorgasbord of classic, clear-cut APA violations,” he continued. Democrats worried including the question would discourage immigrants from participating in the survey, thereby diluting representation for states that tend to vote Democratic and robbing many communities of federal dollars. Alabama and the census In May 2018, Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall have filed a lawsuit against the federal government over what they said was the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include of illegal immigrants in census data “used to determine the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Electoral College.” Marshall says the move will cause Alabama to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as a vote in the Electoral College. “If the U.S. Census Bureau follows through with its plan to include illegal aliens in the 2020 census for purposes of apportionment, Alabama will lose both a seat in the U.S. House of Representative and a vote in the Electoral College,” explained Marshall. “Alabama’s loss will be another state’s gain, as states with a growing illegal alien population will be the beneficiary of this reapportionment. I have joined with Congressman Mo Brooks in filing suit against the federal government to stop the inclusion of illegal aliens in the census’s apportionment population. The Constitution does not permit the dilution of our legal residents’ right to equal representation in this manner.” The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling.
DOJ seeks to dismiss Alabama’s lawsuit over inclusion of illegal aliens in US Census
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing back on Alabama’s lawsuit against the federal government over inclusion of illegal aliens in US Census. The DOJ challenged the lawsuit in a motion filed Monday, arguing the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs lack of jurisdiction. “There simply is no case or controversy that would justify having this Court wade into the constitutional and other claims raised by Plaintiffs’ lawsuit. Accordingly… this Court should dismiss Plaintiffs’ Complaint for lack of jurisdiction,” read the motion from the DOJ. In May, Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit against the federal government over what they said was the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include of illegal immigrants in census data “used to determine the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Electoral College.” Marshall says the move will cause Alabama to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representative as well as a vote in the Electoral College. “If the U.S. Census Bureau follows through with its plan to include illegal aliens in the 2020 census for purposes of apportionment, Alabama will lose both a seat in the U.S. House of Representative and a vote in the Electoral College,” explained Marshall. “Alabama’s loss will be another state’s gain, as states with a growing illegal alien population will be the beneficiary of this reapportionment. I have joined with Congressman Mo Brooks in filing suit against the federal government to stop the inclusion of illegal aliens in the census’s apportionment population. The Constitution does not permit the dilution of our legal residents’ right to equal representation in this manner.” Brooks echoed Marshall’s thoughts. “Each decade, 435 Congressional seats are apportioned among the states based on population. Congressional seats should be apportioned based on the population of American citizens, not illegal aliens. After all, this is America, not the United Nations,” said Brooks. But the DOJ contends the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate this could happen in their lawsuit. “Plaintiffs, however, have failed to demonstrate—even at the pleading stage—that the inclusion of illegal aliens would actually result in this injury. The very purpose of the census—an event that will not even take place until 2020—is to count the number of people residing in each state,” their motion read. “…Because the census has not yet taken place, thus making their claimed injury speculative, conjectural, and hypothetical. As a fallback, Alabama alleges that it is likely to lose funding if illegal aliens are included in the census, but that claimed injury is just as speculative as its claimed loss of representation because it relies upon the same type of prediction as to what the census will yield.” In their lawsuit, Marshall and Brooks argue the Census Bureau’s “Residence Rule” — which allows foreign nationals living in the United States to be counted in the census and allocated to the state of their “usual residence” regardless of whether they are legally present in the U.S. — violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the constitutional principal of equal representation: But the DOJ said it believes Alabama’s suit falls outside the zone of interests protected by the Constitution’s Census Clause. “And to the extent funding decisions are based on total population, Alabama would nonetheless receive its fair share based on its total population, including its population of illegal alien residents (many of whom use government services, such as attending schools). For those reasons alone, Alabama’s claim that it will lose federal funds if illegal aliens are included in the census is too speculative to support standing,” the motion explained. Brooks declined to comment on the DOJ’s motion when asked by Alabama Today. The State of Alabama’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau was filed May 21, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Click HERE to view the lawsuit. Read the DOJ’s filing below:
With the Census on the horizon, Alabama’s growing population already impacting driver’s license numbers
Sure the 2020 Census may still be more than a year away, but Alabama’s growing population is already making an impact when it comes to state issued driver’s licenses. On Tuesday, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said it’s adding an eighth digit to all new driver licenses issued by the state starting Dec. 1 to account for the state’s growing population. According to the AP, “Census statistics show the state’s estimated population at 4.9 million people in 2017. That’s an increase of about 2 percent since 2010.” But driver’s license numbers aren’t the only thing 2020 U.S. Census could impact. Depending on participation levels and what the results indicate, Alabama risks losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representative as well as a vote in the Electoral College, and also federal funds. Alabama’s Census lawsuit Back in May, Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall filed a lawsuit against the federal government over what they said was the Census Bureau‘s “unlawful” decision to include of illegal immigrants in census data “used to determine the apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Electoral College.” “If the U.S. Census Bureau follows through with its plan to include illegal aliens in the 2020 census for purposes of apportionment, Alabama will lose both a seat in the U.S. House of Representative and a vote in the Electoral College,” explained Marshall. “Alabama’s loss will be another state’s gain, as states with a growing illegal alien population will be the beneficiary of this reapportionment. I have joined with Congressman Mo Brooks in filing suit against the federal government to stop the inclusion of illegal aliens in the census’s apportionment population. The Constitution does not permit the dilution of our legal residents’ right to equal representation in this manner.” The U.S. Census Bureau has until Tuesday, Nov. 13 to respond to the state’s lawsuit seeking to exclude immigrants living in the country illegally from U.S. Census counts.
U.S. Census Bureau now hiring workers for 2020 Census in Alabama
Alabama residents looking for some extra income may have a great opportunity to help their country, their state and earn a little extra money all at the same time with a federal job related to the 2020 Census in Alabama. The U.S. Census Bureau is now hiring workers for temporary jobs available in Alabama in advance of the 2020 Census. Those jobs include census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff and supervisory staff out of their Birmingham, Ala. office with pay ranging from $14.50-18 an hour. “The 2020 census is critical to the future of our state, and I’d like to encourage Alabamians – especially retirees, college students or others looking for part-time, temporary work – to take advantage of this opportunity not only to earn a paycheck but assist the Census Bureau with a task that will benefit all of the people of our state,” said Gov. Kay Ivey in a news release. The U.S. Census and Alabama Participation in the census count, which is required every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution, affects many aspects of Alabama, including congressional representation and the amount of federal funding allocated to the state for many critical programs. While the census count is several months away, taking place in April 2020, the state is already gearing up preparations. In August, Ivey issued an executive order establishing the Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Committee to promote and educate the public on census activities. Led by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the committee is currently filling in membership of its eight subcommittees and will develop an action plan to guide the state’s efforts at maximum participation in the 2020 census. “The stakes are high for Alabama in the 2020 U.S. Census, and our success depends greatly on our ability to help Alabamians understand the importance of completing and submitting their census forms,” Ivey previously said of the census. “For that reason, I am forming this committee a full 20 months before the April 1, 2020 census count to bring leaders of many statewide public and private groups together to ensure every Alabamian knows the importance of doing their part and participating in the census. When we all do our duty, we ensure that the state gets our fair share of funding for dozens of critical programs and ensure we maintain fair representation in Congress.”
Alabama has a lot at stake in the 2020 Census, here’s how it’s preparing
Alabama has a lot at stake in the 2020 U.S. Census — from a seat in the U.S. House of Representative to a vote in the Electoral College, as well as federal funds — depending on participation levels and what the results indicate. Which is why, Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed an executive order establishing a state-level committee designed to prepare Alabama for maximum participation in the 2020 U.S. Census. The Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Committee Ivey established the Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Committee that will serve as an advisory group made up of public and private statewide organizations to recommend and implement strategies for raising awareness of the 2020 census. As mandated by the Constitution, the U.S. Census Bureau conducts a count of the United States population every 10 years. Starting April 1, 2020, each Alabama household should receive a postcard from the Census Bureau encouraging them to complete their census form online or by phone or to call a number to request a paper form. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs serves as the state’s liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau. Governor Ivey named ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell as chair of the Alabama Counts! 2020 Census Committee. The committee will be divided into subcommittees designed to reach all areas of Alabama. Those subcommittees are: Government, Education, Faith-based Groups, Community-based Groups, Economic Development/Industry, Health Care, Rural and Outreach. Executive Order 715 tasks the committee with developing a Census Action Plan by Aug. 1, 2019 and taking steps to implement the plan leading up to April 2020. “Governor Ivey and I understand how critical it is that we do everything in our power to ensure Alabamians are ready to be counted in the 2020 Census,” Director Boswell said. “This committee and its subcommittees will bring some of the best and brightest from all sectors of Alabama together to help the state over the next year and a half.” The subcommittee chairs will serve as the group’s executive committee and will work with ADECA and the Governor’s Office over the next several weeks to form membership of their subcommittees. The executive committee and its subcommittees will meet regularly in the coming months to develop and implement outreach and education plans targeted to all aspects of Alabama. The committee and ADECA also will work closely with Alabama’s two partnership specialists from the Census Bureau. The following people will serve as subcommittee chairs: GovernmentU.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt/Paul Housel, District Director for Rep. Aderholt Education: Eric Mackey, Superintendent of Alabama Department of Education and Jimmy Baker, Chancellor of Alabama Community College System Faith-based Groups: Bishop Kyle Searcy, Lead Pastor of Fresh Anointing House of Worship in Montgomery and Rev. Jay Wolf, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Montgomery Community-based Groups: Ron Gilbert, Executive Director of Community Action Association of Alabama Economic Development/Industry: Steve Spencer, President of Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Health Care: Dr. Scott Harris, State Health Officer at Alabama Department of Public Health Rural: Paul Pinyan, Executive Director of Alabama Farmers Federation Outreach: Kenneth Boswell, ADECA Director and Chair of the Alabama Counts 2020 Census Committee Federal funds A recent study by George Washington University indicates the U.S. government returned more than $1,567 to the state in 2015 for every Alabamian counted in the census. More than 100 federal programs use data collected during census counts as part of their formulas to distribute billions of dollars in federal funding to the states. Those programs include Medicaid, Medicare Part B, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Highway Planning and Construction, and Title 1 Grants to Local Education Agencies. Census-derived data also is used to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and in legislative redistricting. “The stakes are high for Alabama in the 2020 U.S. Census, and our success depends greatly on our ability to help Alabamians understand the importance of completing and submitting their census forms,” Ivey said. “For that reason, I am forming this committee a full 20 months before the April 1, 2020 census count to bring leaders of many statewide public and private groups together to ensure every Alabamian knows the importance of doing their part and participating in the census. When we all do our duty, we ensure that the state gets our fair share of funding for dozens of critical programs and ensure we maintain fair representation in Congress.” Preparing for the 2020 Census ADECA has worked for the past year to help Alabama’s counties and municipalities update the address lists that will be used by the Census Bureau in 2020 to account for new development and other changes. Participation in the process for 2020, known as the Local Update of Census Addresses, more than doubled from 2010. In total, 280 Alabama municipalities and 58 counties are registered to participate in the update process. That represents a 104 percent increase in municipalities and a 128 percent increase in counties over 2010 in which 137 municipalities and 25 counties registered to participate. ADECA has established a page on its website with information about the upcoming census that will be updated as the Alabama Counts 2020 Census Committee gets up and running. The page is available at www.adeca.alabama.gov/census.
Alabama at risk of losing a seat in Congress after 2020 census
Speculation has officially begun — Alabama is could lose one of its seven U.S. House seats after the 2020 U.S. Census, according to projections. This could happen as the results of the census are used to divide 435 congressional seats and $675 billion in federal government funding a year. Over the past seven years, Alabama’s growth has slowed while the U.S. population has risen. If everyone in the state isn’t accounted for, Alabama could lose one of its seats. What a lost seat means for Alabama While the census is still three years away, political leaders across the state are starting to worry about what that the loss of a seat would mean for the Yellowhammer State. “Alabama is in jeopardy of losing a congressperson,” Governor Kay Ivey told the Association of County Commissions of Alabama in August. “But more devastating than that could be the fact that we will lose federal funding.” Ivey is referring to the more than $7.5 billion in federal funding the state receives each year. Executive Director of the Arise Citizens’ Policy Project (ACPP), Kimble Forrister, agrees. The loss of federal funding could have devastating effects on the state. “Alabama can’t afford to be undercounted in the upcoming Census,” said Forrister. “Investments in Medicaid, housing and transportation make Alabama a better place to live and work, and we need to ensure our state doesn’t get shortchanged on the federal funding that helps make those services possible.” Losing a seat would also effect the state’s sway in the Electoral College during Presidential Elections considering the fact electors are tied to the number of representatives in Congress. The history of Alabama’s House seats It’s been nearly half a century, since 1973, since the Yellowhammer State last lost a congressional seat, and well over a century, 144 years dating back to 1873, since it had fewer than seven representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives. But despite strong population growth between 2000 and 20100, the state’s growth has slowed the past seven years, putting a House seat in jeopardy. Here’s the history of Alabama’s House seats: 1818 – 1819: 1 non-voting delegate 1819 – 1823: 1 seat 1823 – 1833: 3 seats 1833 – 1843: 5 seats 1843 – 1863: 7 seats 1863 – 1873: 6 seats 1873 – 1893: 8 seats 1893 – 1913: 9 seats 1913 – 1933: 10 seats 1933 – 1963: 9 seats 1963 – 1973: 8 seats 1973 – present: 7 seats How Alabama reapportions a lost seat Should Alabama lose a House seat, the state legislature would redraw the districts, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto by Ivey. In 2011, Alabama’s legislative redistricting committee adopted guidelines to help streamline the process. The determined districts should be contiguous, reasonably compact, follow county lines where possible, and maintain communities of interest to the extent feasible; the committee further noted it would attempt to avoid contests between incumbents wherever possible. All meetings of the reapportionment committee and its subcommittees will be open to the public and all plans presented at committee meetings will be made available to the public As state lawmakers discuss possible redrawn maps, citizens will be also allowed to submit their own redistricting plans, using ESRI redistricting software. All meetings of the reapportionment committee and its subcommittees will be open to the public and all plans presented at committee meetings will be made available to the public. 2020 census deemed “high risk” The 2020 Census has already been listed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as a “high risk” federal program. “The bureau has not addressed several security risks and challenges to secure its systems and data, including making certain that security assessments are completed in a timely manner and that risks are at an acceptable level,” Eugene Dodaro, the US Comptroller General, said in a statement during a US Senate hearing last week. Dodaro explained in order to save money, the 2020 census plans to heavily rely on technology, rather than canvassing and responses by mail. As part of this plan the GAO has identified 43 electronic systems that will be used in the 2020 census. According to Dodaro none of the systems have undergone the required security certification – and one, the code used to tabulate all the data, won’t even finish development until March 2019 at best. Which is precisely why Ivey is pushing for local help come census time. “I’m dead serious about this, folks. We need your help,” Ivey said in August reiterating the need of local involvement to ensure every state resident gets counted for in the census. Her insistence is due to the fact that the difference between the state keeping or losing one of its House seats could come down to fewer than a thousand people, just as it did in Utah following the 2010 census. 2020 reapportionment prediction map [Photo Credit: Election Data Services]
