Galvin encourages residents to fill out U.S. Census

Date: 8/11/2020

You may have a census taker at your door within the next 10 weeks in Springfield and Chicopee if you have not yet filled out the U.S. Census online or mailed back the information.

According to Secretary of State William Galvin, who made a recent appearance about the census in Springfield, the public’s answers are vital for the allocation of federal funding and for how congressional districts are formed.

Galvin said, “The city has some great programs that help out my child, my family and my school that could go away [with an under reporting of the number of people.]”

 After months of encouraging people to answer the census online or by mail, the campaign now takes to the streets with census takers coming to the homes of people who have not yet answered.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno called federal funds “a lifeline to mayors such as myself.” Community Development Block Grant funding would be altered by Census figures, state Rep. Bud Williams noted.

“If we don’t get counted, we won’t count,” Sarno said.

At this point the count for the Census in Springfield is 11 percent below the same point in the 2010 census.

 With equity in state funds always an issue, the Census establishes the population of Western Massachusetts – vital information for state funding.

“I’m coming to Western Massachusetts so it won’t be short-changed,” Galvin said. “I don’t want Western Massachusetts to be the tail of the dog.”

Galvin noted the census is not asking about citizenship status and does not require a Social Security number.

State Rep. Carlos Gonzalez said, “It doesn’t matter what zip code you live in. it’s the same proves for everybody.”

Laura Medran, supervisory partnership specialist for the Census, explained Census workers will be identified and practice social distancing.

Chicopee’s Registrar of Voters Janina Surdyka said Census takers would be in Willimansett and downtown. She said so far the community result is at 67.7 percent, which is lower at this time than 2010 when it was 72 percent.

She said COVID-19 and skepticism of the government has affected the self-count.

Her office has been marketing the Census through the Chicopee Farmers’ Market and with businesses such as Polish national Credit Union.

Here are the questions being asked by the Census:

• How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2020?
• Were there any additional people staying here on April 1, 2020, that you did not include in Question 1?
• Is this house, apartment, or mobile home owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage or loan (including home equity loans)? Is it owned by you or someone in this household free and clear (without a mortgage or loan)? Rented? Occupied without payment of rent?
• What is your telephone number?
• What is Person 1’s name? If there is someone living here who pays the rent or owns the residence, start by listing him or her as Person 1. If the owner or the person who pays the rent does not live here, start by listing any adult living there as Person 1.
• What is Person 1’s sex?
• What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of birth?
• Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
• What is Person 1’s race? Mark one or more boxes and print origins: White; Black or African American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Chinese; Filipino; Asian Indian; Vietnamese; Korean; Japanese; other Asian; Native Hawaiian; Samoan; Chamorro; other Pacific Islander; some other race.
• Print name of Person 2. Here, you will list the next person in your household.
• Does this person usually live or stay somewhere else? Mark all that apply: no; yes, for college; yes, for a military assignment; yes, for a job or business; yes, in a nursing home; yes, with a parent or other relative; yes, at a seasonal or second residence; yes, in a jail or prison; yes, for another reason.
• How is this person related to Person 1? Mark one box; opposite-sex husband/wife/spouse; opposite-sex unmarried partner; same-sex husband/wife/spouse; same-sex unmarried partner; biological son or daughter; adopted son or daughter; stepson or stepdaughter; brother or sister; father or mother; grandchild; parent-in-law; son-in-law or daughter-in-law; other relative; roommate or housemate; foster child; other nonrelative.

To respond on line or to seek answers to questions about the census go to https://2020census.gov/