Sept. 30 is the deadline to file for the US Census. It is crucial that Richland County residents and all Montanans take part in the process. Montana’s self-response rate to the 2020 Census is only 57.3% and Richland County’s rate is even lower than that. The national average is 63.9%.
Why is filing your Census report so important? More than $2 billion from 300 federal programs is allocated back to Montana based on Census information. Our state receives almost $2,000 every year for each Montanan counted in the Census. Without a complete count, Montana will lose $20,000 during a 10-year period for every person not counted. Those funds are used in such areas as highway projects, health care, housing and education.
Also at stake is potentially another U.S. Congressional seat for Montana. For too many years, only one legislator in the U.S. House of Representatives has represented our entire state. We’re close to getting another one, but we need to be totally counted in the Census. The figures also determine state legislative districts, school districts and voting precincts.
Filing is very easy. It takes only about 10 minutes. Montanans who have not yet responded to the 2020 Census can do so by going to my2020census.gov, by calling 1-844-330-2020, or by mailing in their Census form if they received one in the mail.
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