Some are concerned that the state’s investment might not be sufficient to counter citizens’ fears and reach hard-to count communities in order to complete an accurate count. Now, as the state intensifies efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19 across the country, the state must postpone field work. The director of the Census Bureau announced that the field operations for the Census Bureau would be suspended from March 18 to April 1, the national Census Day. The release stated that the Census Bureau took this action to protect the safety and health of the American people, Census Bureau employees, as well as everyone involved in the temporary census taker job hiring process. The Census Bureau must deliver counts by the deadline. Officials encourage residents to fill out the form online, by telephone, or mail. Some state legislators were concerned about the obstacles to obtaining a complete count even before the outbreak of coronavirus. “I don’t believe the state leadership wants everyone to be counted. In a telephone conversation with Mississippi Today, State Rep. John Hines stated that when you look at the equation of variables in the census, there are four to five variables that people don’t know about. Hinds said that the variables include the state’s population, including college students and migrant workers. However, these numbers may not be accurate. Low-income households, young children, and households of black or Native American origin are all at risk. About 27 percent of the state’s population, or nearly 800,000., live in neighborhoods that are difficult to count or have potential errors. He said, “We need to think about how and where we engage this process.” The U.S. Census Bureau sent invitations to households by mail on March 12 inviting them to take part in the census. The Census Bureau, a federal agency, conducts the census of all living persons in the United States and the District of Columbia. It also counts five U.S. Territories. This count is only done once in ten years. It also has an impact on federal funding distributions to over 100 programs, including Medicare, SNAP and schools. According to Mississippi KIDS COUNT, Mississippi has lost almost $14 billion in children aged 5 and under over the past decade due to an undercount of the 2010 Census. According to the Urban Institute, the accuracy of the 2020 national population count could be anywhere from 0.27 percent up to 1.22 percent. This could mean that nearly 900,000. to more than 4,000,000 people are being undercounted nationally. Mississippi could have as many as 40,000 people undercounted in 2020, with a range of 0.42 to 1.3 percent. The state will lose an average of $3,000 per student each year for every child not included in the count over the next 10 years. According to Carey Wright, the state superintendent of education, counties could lose anywhere from $5,500 to $1.7 million annually. Wright spoke to Delta high school students about this. Wright stated that Mississippi won’t receive accurate dollars if they don’t have the right data on February 28. What is Mississippi’s investment in? John J. John J. The group also assisted in mobilizing people for education and promotion of Mississippians. Mississippi currently has 123 complete count committees for 2020 – teams made up of community leaders – as well as one statewide committee. This committee was established by the former governor. An executive order was signed by Phil Bryant in August. Under the leadership of Lt. Governor, the Secretary-of-State’s Office was established in December. Delbert Hosemann awarded $22,500 to The Focus Group, Biloxi-based public relation firm, for the development of a marketing plan to support the census efforts. The Sun-Herald reported that Ted Cain, the registered president of the company, was found guilty by a jury last week. He and his wife were charged with Medicare fraud for charging Stone County Hospital for work that they did not do. The Legislature passed a deficit-appropriation bill in February to allocate $400,000 to Department of Finance and Administration for contracts to market, promote and advertise the census. The DFA granted a contract to The Focus Group to develop a comprehensive marketing plan to support outreach efforts. You can access the 100-page plan here. Mississippi is behind its neighboring states in terms of investment. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, $1.24 million was appropriated by Alabama and $3.8 million were allocated by Georgia for the promotion of the census. Officials claim that states funnel money into census campaigns in order to dispel myths and misinformation about the census, and to address privacy concerns. Former Senator Giles Ward is the chairman of Mississippi Complete Count Committee. He said that they created billboards, newspaper ads, and a public service advertisement from Academy-award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. In their marketing plan, the Focus Group identified Freeman as a “trusted source” in Mississippi. Mississippians can also access census information via a website. The Associated Press reported that the advertisement featuring Freeman confused viewers. The state was notified by the Census Bureau and officials in Mississippi have confirmed that the ad is now correct. Ward stated that the Mississippi Complete Count Committee does not care if the resource sent in the mail is yellow, pink, or blue. “We don’t think Mississippians are concerned about that,” Ward said. Although the Census Bureau relies heavily on forms submitted online, households were contacted by mail. Ward stated that many homes, libraries, churches, and other institutions have internet access, which will help them get a complete count. Access to the internet may be a problem for Mississippians, especially those who live in the Mississippi Delta, which is already difficult to count. According to the American Community Survey, almost 30% of Mississippi households did not have an internet subscription or dial-up service between 2014 and 2018. Multiple lawmakers stated that despite all the marketing and advertising, the main challenge in obtaining accurate counts is changing the culture surrounding misinformation and privacy concerns. We need to educate more people before we can do the count. Many people don’t know the importance of the census or its impact. “We’re seeing a repeat cycle of people not being aware of the census in difficult-to-count regions,” Rep. Lataisha Jackson said. She pointed out that vulnerable populations might not know what questions to ask the census takers or what information to give. “When high-poverty areas are asked for information, they tend to be hesitant. They don’t want it to be overstated or understated without knowing how it will affect my services and benefits. Jackson explained that it is important to have trusted people to tell you this will allow you to continue receiving those resources. What questions should census respondents expect to be asked? It will ask questions about the number of people in the household, the sex of each individual, and the race. It won’t ask for bank or social security numbers. Here’s a sample form. Hines, a Delta lawmaker, stated that beyond the Legislature’s financial investments and engagement efforts, local agencies, organizations and “boots on ground” are needed to spread the message. A group of Mississippi legislators met recently with Fair Count, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that Stacey Abrams founded. Their mission is to “fairly and accurately count” all Georgians and to increase participation by partnering with communities in need. About 22 percent of Georgia’s population lives in difficult-to-count areas. Georgia advocates are concerned that rural areas will be overlooked, just like Mississippi. Fair Count has established free internet hotspots at more than two dozen churches, and other locations throughout Georgia. Up to 150 hotspots will be installed by the organization before the end of 2011. It’s not about the census. Fair Count CEO Rebecca DeHart explained to NPR that it’s also about using census data as a way to encourage civic participation. Atlanta Daily Word reported that the group and Abrams had launched the “I Count Bus Tour” to raise awareness about the census. The bus tour will make 50 stops across the state. Fair Count spoke to legislators over dinner about the popularity of portable hotspots within certain regions in Georgia, Hines stated. Hines stated, “The doctor’s and barbershops, lawyers’ offices,… I think people might fill out this information if they had access to it (elsewhere), or if someone could assist me in filling it out without judging them.” There are no other options available, except for the engagement plans. Whatever the communication, everyone agrees that everyone should be counted. Green, vice-chairman said that part of the message is to make people understand the implications and value of census data. “It’s an important component of how our democracy works with redistricting… but also in terms resources available… as it pertains to funding around healthcare, transportation, and infrastructure.” Mississippi Today has more information about 2020 Census.