Hello Faithful Reader,
I hope this month’s edition of the Black Bird’s Eye View finds you well and in good spirit. I am well. As promised, this month I am sharing the answers to questions I emailed to the NC Census Bureau. They were questions I feel will shed light on the collection of data known as the “Census Day.” Every 10 years information is collected on April 1. This information is said to count every individual in each state. The states with the highest population are granted additional seats in the House of Representatives (each state is automatically afforded one seat in the House of Representatives.) It is said that this data weighs heavily on the distribution of Federal Funds. After receiving my list of questions, I received an email that informed me that:
“As many of the statements are rather technical in nature, I’ll reach out to our Census liaisons/experts at OSBM and the US Census Bureau Regional Office for assistance in answering. I’d love to have Secretary Machelle Sanders, as the Chair of the North Carolina Complete Count Committee, provide a general statement on the importance of our state’s participation in the upcoming 2020 Census.
Given our general redirection toward Hurricane preparedness this week, it may be later next week before we’re able to get full responses to you – let me know if this will work okay with your timeline.”
Nan Sanseverino
Director of Communications
NC Department of Administration
To which I responded, “I look forward to receiving your answers.”
A week later, I received the following email:
I have attached responses to your questions, above. The answers were provided by the Governor’s Census Liaison, Bob Coats. Please let me know if you need anything else. I’ll work to also get you a statement on the importance of participation from Secretary Machelle Sanders, who serves as the Chair of the NC Complete Count Commission, today.
Many thanks for your work on sharing this important information.
Nan Sanseverino
Director of Communications
NC Department of Administration
Let me say first and foremost that upon reading the answers to the questions that were submitted, the thing that stood out to me the most was the fact that none of the questions that required “yes” or “no” answers were answered with a yes or no. I also noticed that the vocabulary used to answer the questions could be considered confusing to someone who does not have steep knowledge in the terminology associated with this type of information.
So rather than simply share the answers that were to provide clarity about the Census, I have set about the task of “translating the answers” so that the information is clearer from a layman’s perspective.
Question: How was the number of seats available in the House of Representatives determined (435)?
Answer:
The number of voting seats in the House of Representatives has been 435 since 1913 (How was that number determined), capped at that number by the Reapportionment Act of 1929—except for a temporary (1959–1962) increase to 437 when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted into the Union.
BBEV Summary:
The question was NOT answered. I asked, “How the number of seats was determined.”
FYI: Reapportionment is just another word for Redistribution (Synonyms and Near Synonyms of redistribute admeasure, allot, allow, appropriate, assign, dish out, divide, divvy (up), dollop (out), lot, measure (out), part, proportion, ration, set, share (out), split.
Question: How is the individual (Seated in the House of Representatives) selected and what are their qualifications?
Answer:
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution sets three qualifications for representatives. Each representative must:
(1) be at least twenty-five years old
(2) have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years
(3) be (at the time of the election) an inhabitant of the state they represent. Members are not required to live in the districts they represent, but they traditionally do.
Article I, Section 3, of the Constitution, sets three qualifications for senators:
(1) they must be at least 30 years old
(2) they must have been citizens of the United States for the past nine years or longer
(3) they must be inhabitants of the states they seek to represent at the time of their election. Question: If there can never be more than 435 seats in the House of Representatives...what happens if there is a massive surge in population across the board?
Answer:
(This is a little technical. The first paragraph is my summary.)
To over-simplify, the apportionment (the distribution of different items of cost) process is based on proportional representation. If there is a large population growth across all states, the proportion of representation to population would stay the same. The apportionment process moves representative seats because some states are growing rapidly in population while others are losing population.
Apart from the requirement that each state is to be entitled to at least one representative in the House of Representatives, the number of representatives in each state is in principle to be proportional to its population. No fair apportionment method was devised until recently with five distinct apportionment methods having been used since the adoption of the Constitution, with none of them producing fully proportional apportionment among the states.
The apportionment methodology currently used (adopted in 1941) is the method of equal proportions, so called because it guarantees that no additional transfer of a seat (from one state to another) will reduce the ratio between the numbers of persons per representative in any two states. The method of equal proportions minimizes the percentage differences in the populations of the congressional districts.
BBEV Summary:
That was a whole lot of words. Nothing happens there will be no additional seats added if there is a population surge across the board. The question then becomes how the number of sets in the House of Representatives would be distributed if there was an equal population across the board. Not to say that this will happen…. but what would happen in it did? Question: How do the Federal Government and local planners gain access to the information if it is protected by Title 13?
Answer:
2020 Census summary data will be released for
· States
· Counties
· cities/towns
· more areas (What areas?)
Only summary data (What is summary data) will be reported. Individual personal or household information is confidential and is protected by Title 13 of the US Code for 72 years.
BBEV Summary:
It’s not confidential when you consider the above-mentioned entities that have access to the data collected. I imagine that “Joe Blow” off the street does not have access to the data, but from the looks of it the data travels and I am still unsure of what “more areas” refer to. Question: What information is provided in the Summary Level Report?
Answer:
The 2020 Census will report data for the
· total population
· age
· sex
· race
· Hispanic/Latino Origin (why is this separated from “race”)
· housing occupancy
· housing tenure (i.e. owner/renter)
· household type (ie family, non-family, presence of children)
· and household relationship.
Only summary data will be reported. Individual personal or household information is confidential and is protected by Title 13 of the US Code for 72 years. Question Is the Census only available in English?
Answer:
For the 2020 Census, (What about prior to 2020?) the U.S. Census Bureau plans to provide the Internet Self-Response Instrument and Census Questionnaire Assistance in 12 non-English languages; enumerator instrument, bilingual paper questionnaire, bilingual mailing, and field enumeration materials in Spanish; and language guides, language glossaries, and language identification card in 59 non-English languages.
The Census Bureau will provide language guides, language glossaries, and a language identification card in these languages.
📷
BBEV Summary: Before 2020 was the census available in the languages listed above?
Question:
Why and how are the following groups underrepresented?
· People who have relocated
· Poverty-stricken families and individuals
· Non-English-speaking individuals
· Individuals who are illiterate
· Young people under the age of 5
· African American Males between the ages of 18-35
Answer:
Anyone who is not counted in the Census may not be represented in any planning or funding based on Census data. (The question was how and why they are underrepresented)
There are a number of factors (?) – like the ones you mention (which ones were mentioned) - that put some people at higher risk of being missed in the Census. Trusted local community leaders are working to make sure everyone is counted through Complete Count Committee efforts. An accurate Census count provides accurate representation, funding, and data for planning to meet the needs of our communities for the next decade.
After outlining the interviews that were conducted for the purpose of writing this piece, I surveyed several individuals to see what, if any, awareness they had about the United States Census. What follows is a compilation of questions I was asked: Please provide answers:
How can the data collected be verified? Is it verified?
Answer: Only the US Census Bureau collects data for the US Census. The Census Bureau has a detailed process to validate responses and mitigate fraud.
BBEV Summary: What is this detailed process?
What’s to stop an unscrupulous individual or organization for intentionally misrepresenting the numbers to gain a seat in the House of Representatives?
Answer: The US Census Bureau has a process to ensure the quality and accuracy of Census data. Apportionment is based on total state resident population and proportional representation. A very large amount of fraud – fraud that would be detected in the Census Bureau’s process – would be required to impact apportionment.
BBEV Summary: I don’t feel that this question was answered.
Who would benefit from misrepresenting data and how?
Answer: It’s not misrepresenting data as much as missing people in the Census creates inaccurate data for our communities. Missing people in the Census count puts accurate representation, funding, and data for future planning and economic development at risk. Not being counted can only hurt your community.
BBEV Summary: I do not feel that this question was answered.
Is it a coincidence that the underrepresented population is who it is? If it isn’t, who does it benefit and how?
Answer: The Census only happens once a decade. In a society that is as mobile and busy as ours, it’s not surprising that people may not be aware of the importance of the Census. Trusted local voices and Complete Count Committees work to make sure everyone is counted including the hard-to-count populations. Missing people in the Census count puts accurate representation, funding, and data for future planning and economic development at risk. Not being counted can only hurt your community.
BBEV Summary: I do not feel that this question was answered. This was. In part, a Yes or No question.
Who keys the data collected into the system?
Answer: Six Census Regional Offices coordinate Census field operations, and the Census Bureau National Processing Center in Jeffersonville Indiana processes responses to all Census surveys.
Who has access to that system?
Answer: Only sworn and approved Census Bureau staff have access to Title 13 confidentiality protected data.
Could the information be sold or used for marketing / personal / business purposes?
Answer: NO! Title13 of the U.S. Code protects your Census responses. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any Census information that identifies an individual. Census Bureau employees take a lifelong pledge of confidentiality to handle data responsibly and keep respondents’ information private. The penalty for wrongful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time. Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding your community receives. The Census Bureau has a robust cybersecurity program that incorporates industry best practices and federal security standards for encrypting data.
Why would an individual feel comfortable with a random stranger knocking on their door asking questions?
Answer: We participate in the Census because it so important to the future of our communities. Most census workers in our communities will be local hires – possibly people you’ve seen in the grocery store, but we want to make sure that no one is the victim of a scam. If you are visited by someone from the US Census Bureau, here are some recognition tips to assure the validity of the field representative: Census Bureau enumerators must present an ID Badge that includes their photograph, the Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. In addition to carrying a laptop and/ or bag with a Census Bureau logo, the field representative will provide the following: - Supervisor’s contact information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked. - A letter from the Director of the Census Bureau on US Census Bureau letterhead. If in doubt, call the US Census Bureau Atlanta Regional Office at 1-800-424-6974. The Census Bureau will never ask for: - Social Security numbers - Bank or credit card account numbers - Money or donations - Anything on behalf of a political party
BBEV Summary: I do not feel that this question was answered.
What are the penalties to misusing the data collected and has anyone ever been prosecuted for misusing the data?
Answer: Title13 of the U.S. Code protects your Census responses. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any Census information that identifies an individual. Census Bureau employees take a lifelong pledge of confidentiality to handle data responsibly and keep respondents’ information private. The penalty for wrongful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time. Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding your community receives. The Census Bureau has a robust cybersecurity program that incorporates industry best practices and federal security standards for encrypting data.
Is it the responsibility of each state to fund awareness of the United States Census? If so where does that money come from?
Answer: The Census is a federal program administered by the US Census Bureau which is part of the US Department of Commerce. States and communities recognize the importance of the Census and may use local funds to increase awareness and promote participation. Funds can come from budget appropriations, grants, sponsorships, or other support efforts. BBEV Summary: This was, in part, a yes or No question.
Other than population count, what other ways is the data collected for the US Census used?
Answer: The US Census Bureau conducts many surveys reporting on population, migration, educational attainment, disability status, poverty, commuting, housing, and more. Census data are the foundation for federal and state funding for hospitals and health care, education and schools, highways and infrastructure. About $1,800 per person in federal and state funds are spent in North Carolina each year based on Census data. Being counted in the Census brings your tax dollars back to your community.
Are the individuals seated in the House of Representatives associated with the Electoral College?
Answer: The Census population count determines the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. The number of electors each state has in the Electoral College is equal to the number of Senators and Representatives for each state. State legislatures determine who the electors will be. BBEV Summary: This was a Yes or No question.
With the current climate as it is, as it relates to ICE and immigrants, why would a Mexican American feel comfortable enough to answer any questions associated with the Federal Government?
Participating in the Census brings representation, funding, and data needed to plan for the future of your community; and your information is protected by law. Title13 of the U.S. Code protects your Census responses. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any Census information that identifies an individual. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time. Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding your community receives.
What is the Complete Count Committee? Complete Count Committees are committees of trusted local voices from local governments, community organizations, faith-based congregations, tribal organizations, campus groups, or really anyone who work to raise awareness of and participation in the Census. Who are “Trusted Local Voices” (Provide names of individuals and organizations) Trusted local voices can be anyone from a neighbor, coworker, local business owner, faith-based leader, to a service provider, teacher, or local elected official, etc. hey are trusted, familiar faces who can share the importance of the Census and being counted to the future of their community. Is the major issue in collecting data the general distrust of the government? Lack of awareness of the importance and local impact of Census data and Census confidentiality protections can harm Census participation. The trusted voices of local Complete Count Committees are very important to increasing awareness and participation in the Census.
BBEV Summary: This was a Yes or No question.
What is meant by dividing counties into census tracks? The US Census Bureau creates smaller statistical geographies once a decade and releases summary data for these areas to support planning. Counties are divided into a statistical geography called a “census tract” which ideally has a population of about 4,000. Is it accurate to say that incarcerated individuals are prohibited from voting in federal elections, but are still counted in the United States Census and that instead of their address of residence at the time of their incarceration listed as where they reside, the location of the prison is listed instead? If so, can the relocation of inmates from one state to another pose a potential problem as it relates to accuracy in headcounts? Prisoners are counted where they are held during the Census. Apportionment is based on proportional representation. While prison populations may impact how/where district lines are drawn, larger population changes are usually required to impact the apportionment picture.
BBEV Summary: This was, in part, a Yes or No question.
How many prisons are there in the United States and are the bulk of them in states that have more than one seat in the House of Representatives? Prison populations are relatively stable. The movement in representative seats is related to domestic migration within the US from the Northeast to the South and Southwest.
BBEV Summary: This question was not answered
Below is NC Department of Administration Secretary Machelle Sanders, who serves as Chair for the state’s NC Complete Count Commission statement regarding the importance of 2020 Census participation for our state (NC):
“The 2020 Census is North Carolina’s opportunity to have a voice and to be counted for our share of billions of dollars in federal funding for much-needed infrastructure, community services and programs,” said “All people in all communities living in North Carolina deserve to be counted and we are working together with community partners across the state to ensure they will be.”
This concludes this most informative Q&A about Census Participation. Until next time.
Always,
Robin
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