The Census is Coming. Be Counted!
The U.S. Constitution empowers the U.S. Congress to carry out a Census every 10 years, “in such manner as they shall by Law direct” (Article 1, Section 2). The Census is a count of persons dwelling in the U.S., including citizens, non-citizen legal residents, non-citizen long-term visitors and undocumented immigrants. Census data are used to re-apportion the U.S. Congress and for re-districting of state legislatures. The data are also used to guide federal funding formulas to provide state and local monies for health, education, transportation and other areas.
So, accurate counts matter — a lot.
A new Census will start in Colorado in April 2020. Despite the basic Census form being short and available online, history suggests that many households will not fill it out; therefore, the U.S. Census Bureau will employ thousands of workers to go door-to-door to get a full count, which in turn provides a short-run boost to our economy.
There are significant policy issues related to the Census. How do we count people who are not U.S. citizens? (A “citizenship” question was an important legal discussion this year.) How do we count the homeless? Colorado voters recently approved a new, more independent (and perhaps less political) process for changing legislative boundaries. How will the new process work with the Census data?
Please join us for this important discussion about the U.S. Census in Colorado.
Panelists:
Elizabeth Garner
State Demographer, Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Lily Romero Griego
Partnership Coordinator, U.S. Census Bureau (Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, Kansas)
Rosemary Rodriguez
Executive Director, Together We Count
Rob Witwer
General Council and Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs
Southwest Generation
Former Colorado House Representative
Moderator:
Paul Teske
Dean, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs
This event is open to the public. Admission is free, but space is limited. Breakfast will be served.
If you require ADA access or special accommodations to attend the event, please contact
spa.events@ucdenver.edu.