February 7, 2020
With 2020 Census Day fast approaching, there’s a risk that millions of New Jersey residents may go uncounted.
A complete and accurate count of every person living in New Jersey ensures that communities receive their fair share of federal funding and political representation in Washington, D.C.
Almost a quarter of the state’s population, including people of color, low-income individuals, children, immigrants and people who are homeless, reside in areas considered “hard to count” by the Census Bureau, and are less likely to be counted. These same communities often have the highest poverty rates and stand to benefit the most from essential services funded by the federal government.
Montclair State University – a campus nationally recognized for its civic engagement and voter registration activism – has partnered with government officials and the United States Census Bureau to encourage residents to answer the Census and be counted. Student workers will canvass in their own neighborhood and across the state. The University will host a range of events on campus through Census season.
Who:
The public is invited to join the campus community, government officials and community partners to learn about ways to ensure that everybody in New Jersey is counted in 2020.
Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole will kick off “New Jersey Complete Count” and welcome speakers:
- United States Census Bureau Assistant Regional Census Manager Lisa Moore
- S. Representative Mikie Sherrill
- New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way
What: 2020 U.S. Census “New Jersey Complete Count” Rally
Where: Montclair State University, Center for Environmental and Life Sciences atrium
When: 10 a.m., Monday, February 10, 2020
About the 2020 Census
The U.S. Constitution mandates a head count, every 10 years, of all residents living in the United States and its territories. Census counts determine how many seats each state is allocated in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as how more than $675 billion in federal dollars are distributed annually. Individual responses are protected by federal law, never to be shared with any other governmental department, court, or law enforcement agency. Responding to the 2020 Census is easy with four ways to respond: online, by phone, on paper, or with the help of a Census taker.
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a research doctoral institution ranked in the top tier of national universities. Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, the University today has 11 colleges and schools that serve 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, master’s and baccalaureate programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre suburban campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated and diverse academic environment. montclair.edu
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