Every ten years a census has been conducted in the United States of America since 1790 (every year ending in “0”). This year, Pennsylvanians will again be asked to stand up and be counted.  Governor Wolf has initiated the 2020 Census Complete Count Commission to ensure that every Pennsylvanian is counted; the AFL-CIO State Federation is proud to endorse this effort and President Bloomingdale serves on the Commission. 

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons . . . The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct. The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative”

 Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution

This week the Commission held a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda to bring awareness to the issue.  In 2019, the Commission asked for funding to ensure that all Pennsylvanians are counted, but the state legislature only delivered a small fraction of the funds.  That means that it is more important than ever to get the word out and encourage everyone to be counted.

All of Pennsylvania’s federal funding depends on the reported population data gathered from the Census.  The number of Representatives in Congress depends on these numbers; currently, PA is on track to lose one, if not two Representatives.  This is why we must have a complete count.

Your voice matters.  Census Day is April 1, 2020.  And no, this is not an April Fools Joke.  You can fill out the census online, by mail, or by phone, and your response should only take a few minutes. 

Pennsylvania is hiring part-time Census Takers around the state, offering living wages and flexible hours.  If you or someone you know is interested or available, please consider applying by following the link below:

U.S. Census