By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Census Day is here and state and local officials are reminding residents to take a few minutes out of their day to fill out this important questionnaire.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared today to be “Take a Break and Be Counted Day” in Michigan, to raise awareness on the Census. Whitmer, in a video released for the state’s Be Counted campaign, said that the federal dollars the state is hoping to get to combat COVID-19 are based on population. Each year, the federal government distributes $675-billion based off of Census data. In the previous Census held in 2010, Michigan had 78% participation. The goal this year is 82%. Locally, Commissioner and Chair of the Census Complete Count Committee Doug Helzerman, said Livingston County was under 90%. With every uncounted person representing approximately $18,000 in federal funding lost over 10 years, Helzerman says raising participation only benefits the community.

The Census consists of 9 questions, asking for basic information on who is living in the household on this date. All information is confidential and what gets sent to the government is aggregate information, not specific names and addresses. Workers take a lifetime oath to keep information confidential, and the Census Bureau can’t release it for 72 years. The Census can be completed by phone, by mail, or by going online to www.my2020Census.gov.