Spreading Census awareness

In the next few months, America will count its population. And, today, a Census Bureau worker spread awareness in Walhalla of the coming of the count that takes place every 10 years. David Carfolite spoke to the Rotary Club and explained that it’s a count of the country’s population on where it lived on April 1. It’s not, he said, a count of citizens. Rather it’s a count of who lived where on that particular day. Which means that, in the case of Clemson students from out of state, they will be counted where they lived on that particular day. Carfolite admitted there is concern if there will be enough time to make an accurate Clemson student body count because once spring graduation is held, students tend to disperse. One big change in the 2020 count will be reliance on computers to facilitate the count. According to Carfolite, the nine questions the government will ask can be answered online. For those who don’t complete their forms by computer, the government will mail printed forms as they have done by tradition. However, it’s the hope of the federal government that billions of dollars can be saved in printing costs. Individual count committees are being formed in both Oconee County and in Clemson, and the Census Bureau is now taking applications for $15 dollar an hour enumerator jobs. Enumerators will have the task of knocking on doors where people have not responded. The 2020 Census will take a few months. Perhaps, the most important date is December 31. By law that is the deadline for the bureau to deliver the counts to the President.