2020 MARKS 58 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY!
WHY THE CENSUS COUNTS
The 2020 Census is coming, and YOU COUNT! The census happens only once every ten years and aims to count every person living in the United States. You and each person counted in your household help bring billions of dollars into our state, ensure our voices are heard in government, and secure the schools, roads, emergency services, and businesses our community needs to thrive.
WHY IT MATTERS TO WEST VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA STANDS TO LOSE $2,700 FOR EACH PERSON NOT COUNTED IN THE 2020 CENSUS EACH YEAR FOR 10 YEARS.
What to Expect
There are three ways that the Census Bureau will initially collect responses from people for the 2020 Census: online, by phone, and by mail.
By April 1, 2020, you will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home. If you do not have internet access or a home/mobile phone, you may visit our offices, located at 221 Washington St. Fairmont, WV 26554, to complete the census form online or by phone.
Starting in May 2020, the Census Bureau will begin following up in person with homes that have not responded to the census.
Who Should I Count?
If you are filling out the census for your home, you should count everyone who is living there as of April 1, 2020. This includes any friends or family members who are living and sleeping there most of the time. If someone is staying in your home on April 1, and has no usual home elsewhere, you should count them in your response to the 2020 Census. Please also be sure to count roommates, young children, newborns, and anyone who is renting a space in your home. These people are often missed in the census. This means they can miss out on resources for themselves and their communities over the next 10 years.
Counting Young Children
It is important to remember to count any children who are living with you. This includes:
- All children who live in your home, including foster children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and the children of friends (even if they are living with you temporarily).
- Children who split their time between homes, if they are living with you on April 1, 2020.
- Newborn babies, even those who are born on April 1, 2020, or who are still in the hospital on this date.
Your Privacy Matters
Every employee takes an oath to protect your personal information for life. When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. They are used only to produce statistics. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The law ensures that your private information is never published and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court.