Staff Editorial
Since the founding of the United States, every 10 years the census is conducted to understand the demographics in our country and see the changes in our country over time.
These dollars will help fund programs including food stamps, Medicare, federal grants and other financial aid, among dozens of other programs affecting education, law enforcement and more taxpayer-funded programs.
Finally, the census also determines how many electoral college seats are given to each state, based on population, as well as how districts may be redrawn in accordance with new population growth or drop-off in an area. This can affect state and national elections, so the more people who show up, the more accurate our representation in government may be.
The first census was conducted in 1790 and has occurred every 10 years since then, as is mandated in the Constitution. To count roughly 330 million people, the census has expanded from in-person and over-the-phone surveying to include online counting, which can be completed beginning in March.
In Daytona Beach, only 68% of people sent in their mailed back their census forms. With only two-thirds of the population accounted for, Daytona Beach missed out on funding and aid for its citizens. The majority of the uncounted are the most needy in our community, including minorities, those living below the poverty line and those experiencing homelessness.
There is doubt about how many will not be accounted for in this census. Threats from President Trump about adding personal questions targeting immigrants have made officials and activists nervous that a large amount of people living in the U.S. will go uncounted and also cause states and needy communities to lose out on potential aid they need.
The Supreme Court shot down the citizenship question and the Census Bureau assures that census records are kept sealed for 72 years, keeping personal information safe. However, the damage may already be done. The threat of the citizenship question caused fear in many Hispanic and Latin American immigrants from feeling safe participating in the census, including here in Daytona Beach.
It is not right for the government to force minorities into silence through intimidation and fear of deportation.
Help make Daytona count and take the census before the deadline in July. Mailouts urging residents to participate in the census will be sent out in March, but you can also head to www.census.gov to complete the survey.