Census deadline extended to October 31

By DAVID LOPEZ
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau is continuing its quest for 2020 census completion.
Cameron County Clerk Sylvia Garza, who is spearheading the census completion efforts in Cameron, said the Bureau had informed her of a completion deadline extension from July 31 to August 14. However, as of Tuesday, the Bureau extended the dates to respond to October 31, she said.

Although the extension is pending approval from Congress, Garza says the postponement is more than likely, which is good news, she says, as county officials and census committees find themselves at a difficult point in reaching rural populations amid the county-wide shelter-in-place order.

“Some cities are participating very well,” said Garza. “For example, the city of San Benito is at 31 percent, which is good, or communities like Laguna Vista, who are at 43 percent. The ones that are of more concern to me are rural areas like Santa Rosa; they haven’t even reached 2 percent. South Padre Island is at 4 percent. Those are communities that we need to focus on.”

This year marks the first time census takers have the opportunity to respond in three different ways: by mail, phone, or online. If households have not received a paper survey in the mail, they can fill out the survey online any time at 2020census.gov. If the family wishes to answer the survey by phone, they can call 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish, from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. eastern time.

The U.S. Census Bureau temporarily suspended 2020 Census field data collection activities in March following nationwide orders to shelter-in-place and practice social distancing. However, according to their website, the Bureau is taking steps to reactivate field offices beginning June 1 in preparation for the resumption of field data collection operations.

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