LWM Census Meeting Update

I attended the League of Women Voters sponsored informational meeting about the upcoming United States Census that will be conducted in 2010. It was a well-attended and very interesting gathering in a free flowing question-and-answer format. Senator Ann Rest acted as host welcoming attendees and introducing Minnesota State Demographer, Tom Gillaspy.

First, the basic mechanics of the census: the census forms will be uniquely bar coded to identify each residence they are sent to. Residents of that home, apartment or dormitory are asked to fill it out and return it by mail. An important point to stress with citizens who maintain two homes is that they should fill out the form they receive at their permanent residence not at their vacation home, even if they also receive one at their vacation home. The census forms will be mailed in March of 2010. They will not be forwarded to another address. People who winter in other areas should expect to find their form at their permanent home when they return. They are requested to fill it out when they return and mail it at that time. College students should be counted at their residence while in school including but not limited to dormitories. Prison inmates are counted where they are incarcerated and people living in Nursing Homes or other care facilities are counted in those locations. Exceptions to this are boarding or military school students who should be counted as residents at their family homes. There will be a one night activity dedicated to counting all people staying in hotels and motels in the state at that time. There will also be a night dedicated to reaching and counting “homeless” people in shelters, under bridges and wherever they may gather to spend the night.

There is a serious concern about how National Guardsmen on active duty will be counted as they do not technically fit under the guidelines for counting regular active duty military. This issue has not yet been addressed in depth and is cause for concern.

The purpose of the census is to count every person where they normally live without regard to immigration status. There are a number of different status situations, such as, Liberians who are living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status, Refugee Status and other that include both legal immigrant residents and those who have come across our borders without proper documents or those who have overstayed their visa’s or work permits. The responsibility of the census bureau is to create a snap shot of the population of the United States, the distribution of members of that population and the demographics of the population, including age, marital status, ethnicity and race.

We were told that only the short form of the census will be mailed out this year. The long form, also known as, the American Community Survey is not actually an official part of the census although it was used to sample test collection of more detailed demographic information in at least one prior census. That particular survey is used to collect data annually in smaller sample populations and is no longer connected directly to the formal federal census.

The most important issue facing us as Minnesotans is that we strive for as complete a count of state residents as possible as we are within the margin of change in population that could cost us a Congressional Seat. Historically Minnesota has been very efficient in conducting the census leading it to be considered one of the most wholly counted states in the union.

According to the State Demographer there will most likely be 12 Congressional Seats that change due to the 2010 Census. While Minnesota’s growth rate has trended slower than the overall US growth since 1960, we have not experienced the tremendous out migration that other states have experienced due to the foreclosure crisis and recession. Florida, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa and Louisiana have been the most heavily hit and are almost certain to lose a seat. The margin between populations in states in play is pretty slim. So, again an accurate efficient nose count is critical.

Some of the factors that will that will seriously impact Minnesotans are:

• National Mobility has fallen to the lowest point ever recorded
• This change can not be tied to the business cycle
• Our population has stopped being young
• Our population has stopped moving to take advantage of opportunities offered in other regions

So far the changing demographics of our state indicate that re-apportionment and re-districting will be needed as our population centers have shifted. Even if we retain 8 Congressional Districts, the boundaries need to be adjusted to meet the criteria of Districts being roughly in population strength. Unfortunately, this is where partisanship rears its ugly head. It will be very difficult to make the necessary changes and retain political balance.

I hope this will serve as a quick primer on the Census. I also encourage you to go to 2010census.gov