Everyone Counts!
The 2020 Census is just around the corner, and we want every Edgecombe County citizen to be counted! The goal of Census 2020 is to count everyone one, only one and in the right place.
2020 Census Kick-off Campaign #everyonecounts
So why is participating in the census so important?
A population count is required every 10 years by the U.S., Constitution. Article 1, Section 2 states that "Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included in the Union, according to their respective numbers...".
Also, political representation is determined by population. Census results are used for redistricting at the national, state, and local levels. Not to mention, over $675 Billion of federal funding is distributed to state and local governments based on Census numbers.
Privacy and Confidentiality
Under Title 12, U.S. Code, all Census Bureau employees swear a lifetime oath to protect respondent date. It is a felony for any Census Bureau employee to disclose any confidential information during or after employment, and the penalty for wrongful disclosure is up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.
The Census Bureau protects information by taking precautions in how we collect, analyze and disseminate information. The Census Bureau also has strong programs to protect information as they collect, process and store it in secure IT systems. They also encrypt information, limits access and actively monitors systems to make sure information stays secure.
The Census Bureau never asks for your full social security number; never asks for money or a donation; never sends requests on behalf of a political party; and never requests PIN cods, passwords or similar information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.
