Have you filled out the 2020 Census yet?
Why not?
That’s no excuse, fill it out.
As of July 27, only 54 percent of New Yorkers have filled out the Census form. Staten Island has the highest response rate so far at 58.9 percent, Brooklyn has the lowest at 51.2 percent. Queens so far has a 54.2 percent response rate while Bronx and Manhattan are trending close at 55.3 and 55.6 percent respectively.
| Borough | Census Response Rate (as of 7/27) |
| Bronx | 55.3 percent |
| Brooklyn | 51.2 percent |
| Manhattan | 55.6 percent |
| Queens | 54.1 percent |
| Staten Island | 58.9 percent |
| Citywide | 54 percent |
Now more than ever (ugh, I hate that phrase, but it fits here), New York needs the maximum amount of funding and representation that comes with Census tallies. The final Census count, which will be released sometime next year, will determine how many representatives New York sends to the U.S. House of Representatives from 2023-2033, how many Electoral Votes it will have in the presidential elections of 2024 and 2028, and will determine what level of funding and support from the state, and by extension, the city gets from Washington. It’s imperative everyone, no matter their status (citizens, immigrant, documented or not), fill out a Census form. The Census does not ask about immigration status and will not be used for an enforcement purposes.
Even if you’re not from New York, the Census is vital. The pandemic has caused social and economic pain all across the country, and no matter where you are or what state you are in, the Census is key to determining what level of representation, and help, your part of the country gets over the next decade.
The pandemic has also made it harder than usual to conduct the Census, because workers cannot go door to door to conduct household counts as they would normally do. But the Census is easier than ever to fill out. Just go to https://my2020census.gov/ and fill out the form – it only takes a few minutes.
And when you’ve done it – Tweet at me at @NRafter and I’ll Tweet a special thank you for helping add to the count.
Nick Rafter Writes 