Blog
News and Views
Represent NYC

2020 Census: NYC Counts Contest

September 2, 2020
Census 2020

The 2020 Census ends on September 30th and many New Yorkers still have not been counted.

The next six weeks will define the next 10 years.

The 2020 Census is set to end on Sept. 30, which gives us just a few weeks left to be counted. And right now, almost 40% our city is in danger of being left out. If these New Yorkers aren’t counted, it will cost our communities hundreds of billions of dollars in funding we need and deserve over the next decade. As we recover from COVID-19, we will need all the aid we can get.

Participating in the Census by going to my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020.

The Census is easy, safe, and confidential. It can be completed online or by phone; it is just 10 simple questions that can be answered in under 10 minutes.

With less than a month left till the U.S. Census Bureau intends to end its constitutionally-mandated decennial population count, elected officials and advocates have issued a warning to New Yorkers to fill out the Census questionnaire.

Last month, the Trump administration moved up the deadline for the 2020 Census from October 31 to September 30, leaving the Census Bureau and local and state officials scrambling to ensure an accurate count, which has already been thrown into jeopardy by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Donald Trump has already dealt an enormous blow to the census by cutting it short by a month -- let's not have it be a fatal one by blocking access to our buildings, a problem that we've heard dozens of troubling reports about," said Julie Menin, Director, NYC Census 2020 and Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel, NYC Law Department.

The Census Bureau currently has enumerators out in the field attempting to count those households that have not self-responded through the online portal or by mail.

As of August 31, the nationwide response rate to the Census was 64.9%, according to the CUNY Mapping Service’s Census tracking project; New York State’s response rate was 61% and New York City’s was 57.7%. Census data is used to determine many billions of dollars in funding to states and localities and seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

Watch NYS Assembly Member Robert J. Rodriguez as he hosts a special edition of #RepresentNYC with guests Lurie Daniel-Favors, Interim Executive Director and General Counsel at The Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, and Juan I. Rosa, Northeast Director of Civic Engagement at The NALEO Educational Fund to learn how the #USCensus intertwines with #racial #justice issues.

NYC Counts Contest

The "NYC Counts" contests gives all New Yorkers the chance to win prizes and visit treasured cultural institutions, support local restaurants, and explore different neighborhoods.

In partnership with Seamless, Lyft, and The Museum of Modern Art, NYC Census 2020 is launching three new contests for New Yorkers who complete the 2020 Census between August 17 and September 21.

Here is what you can win:

In the entry form, please indicate which of the contests you would like to enter. These contests run for five weeks, so the earlier you enter, the more chances you have to win.

In order to qualify, an individual must first complete the census for their household, then upload a screenshot of their census completion via the submission form. An individual must also provide up to 250 characters about what winning would mean to them. Winners will be selected based on the quality of their answers. Individuals can enter multiple contests.

Any New Yorker who completes the Census before September 21st can win these prizes from Citibike/Lyft, Seamless, and the Museum of Modern Art. Click here to learn more!