In November the Jefferson County Commission formed a Complete Count Committee to help educate the citizens of Jefferson County about the 2020 Census:
- When it’s coming,
- How they can make their count matter,
- And, why it is so important for them to be counted.
Members of the Committee are as follows:
Chairperson: Commissioner Sheila Tyson
- Walter Jackson, Chief Deputy County Manager
- Frederick Hamilton, Jefferson County Director of Community Services and Workforce Development
- Helen Hays, Jefferson County Director of Public Information
- Janice Williams, Jefferson County Senior Service Coordinator
- Michael Morrison, Planner Jefferson County Development Services
- Dorothea Crosby, President, Metro Birmingham Chapter of the NAACP
- Tonja Baldwin, City Council Mayor Pro Tempore, City of Lipscomb
- Rhonda Bean, Councilwoman, City of Brighton
- Loxcil Tuck, Mayor, City of Tarrant
- Eddie Cooper, Mayor, City of Brighton
What is the Census?
Every 10 years, everyone living in the United States gets counted in the census – once and in the right place. Your response to the census helps ensure that more than $675 billion in federal funds is directed to the right place to help support critical services such as education, health care, roads/transportation improvements and a lot more. Many decisions about where to send this money is based on census data. A complete and accurate count is also critical for determining how many representatives each state will have in congress.
Alabama, and in particular Jefferson County, have sections that have been historically under counted. Our goal is to make sure that citizens not only are aware of the census, but they take part in it – and are not hard to count. Click here to see the sections of Jefferson County that are historically under counted.
Census Timing
Starting in mid-March citizens will receive an invitation to participate in the Census. For the first time you will be able to participate online. That invitation will also include a phone number that you can call and take the census. Please be aware that the Census will not ask for personally identifiable information like social security numbers or your income. AND, the information you share with the Census is not shared with any other government agency such as law enforcement or immigration officials. Census takers are required by law to keep your information confidential.
April 1 – is Census Day. And, the day where you should think about being counted, along with all of the people in your household.
If you are a parent with shared custody of children or have kids in college Click here to see how your children should be counted.
If you are in a group living situation like a nursing home or dormitory, Census takers will count your facility.
For more questions and answers on the Census visit 2020Census.gov.
Please be counted in the 2020 Census, it’s vital to the future of the County and the many resources we provide our citizens.
