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Counting For 2020 Census Ends Oct. 15

CREDIT PATRICK SEMANSKY/AP PHOTO

October 15 is the last day to respond to the 2020 Census. But just over half of Baltimore households have responded. 

Susan Licate, a Census Bureau media specialist spokeswoman said that Baltimore’s self-response rate is only 56.7%. 

“We’re lagging a little bit behind. So we want folks to know that the time is now. They need to step up,” she said. 

Licate said you can call the bureau until 2 a.m. tomorrow. You can also respond online by 5:59 a.m. If you wish to mail a paper form, it needs to be postmarked Thursday. 

The census helps determine where federal funding will go over the next 10 years and how many seats in Congress each state gets.

 

“It is really important that folks understand and be aware that when they respond to the census, they really have this opportunity to make a difference in their community,” Licate said. 

Earlier this week the Supreme Court gave the Trump administration authority to end counting early. Lower courts wanted until Oct. 31. 

 

Sarah Y. Kim is WYPR’s health and housing reporter. Kim is WYPR's Report for America corps member, and Anthony Brandon Fellow. Kim joined WYPR as a 2020-2021 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. Now in her second year as an RFA corps member, Kim is based in Baltimore City.