U.S. Census Bureau ends counting efforts for 2020 Census a month earlier than expected

August 4, 2020 /

The U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday it will end its counting efforts for the 2020 Census a month earlier than previously announced.

The Bureau will end field data collection by Sept. 30. Self-response options will also close on that date to allow the commencement of data processing, says a statement from the Bureau.

“Under this plan, the Census Bureau intends to meet a similar level of household responses as collected in prior censuses, including outreach to hard-to-count communities,” said the statement.

Because the deadline has been is a month earlier, organizations are pressuring U.S. congress to push back certain reporting deadlines to ensure a fair and accurate Census count.

The Bureau has less than two months left to reach out to hard-to-count communities such as people of color, immigrants, renters, rural residents and “other members of historically undercounted groups who are not likely to fill out a census form on their own,” NPR reports.

The Bureau had decided in July to also cut short door-knocking efforts for the 2020 census, NPR reports. Beginning Aug. 11, Census workers will knock on doors to ensure those who have not yet filled out the census get counted.

As of Monday, 93 million households, nearly 63 percent of all households in the Nation, have responded to the 2020 Census.

Households that have not responded to the Census can respond by phone, by mail, or online at http://www.my2020census.gov.