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All right, Pike Countains! If you are waiting for a dollar and “sense” reason to be counted in the 2020 Census, here it is!

Pike County is one of the counties participating in the upcoming Alabama Census Bowl competition that begins Sept. 2.

Kenneth Boswell, ADECA director and Alabama Counts! chairman, said each week, counties will be paired against another county with a similar self-response rate. The county with the highest week-over-week increase in self-participation, based on Census Bureau data, will move on to the next round.

“The competition will continue until Sept. 30 with the best-performing counties winning up to $65,000 in grants for their public-school systems,” Boswell said. “So, for those who have not responded to the 2020 Census, there’s no better day than today to do so.”

Self-responding only takes a few minutes and it can make a big impact on Alabama’s future.

“If you don’t do it for yourself, then do it for Alabama’s children,” Boswell said.

Pike County’s final self-response rate was 53.7 percent in 2010 and Boswell said, while he can’t speak to a specific percentage for Pike County, Troy or Brundidge, each city should set its goal to get as close to 100 percent as possible.

“But, we know, if we perform at a rate similar to 2010, we are putting federal funding and congressional representation at risk at the state level,” Boswell said.

September 20 is the deadline set by the Census Bureau as the last day Alabamans may self-respond to the 2020 Census by going online at www.my2020census.gov, calling toll-free (844) 330-2020 or by returning the paper from that was mailed to their address.   

“The U.S. Census Bureau’s workers began reaching out across Alabama on Aug. 14 and will continue until the end of the census on September 30,” Boswell said. “They are conducting follow up visits with households that have not yet participated in the 2020 Census.”

Boswell said Census workers have been trained to follow proper health and safety guidelines, including wearing face masks, maintaining social distance of six feet or more and conducting interviews outside of the home as much as possible or practical.

Census Bureau workers will be able to identify themselves and should show their proper identification including a valid ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. Census workers may also carry Census Bureau bags and other equipment with the Census Bureau logo.

“The workers should never ask you about your social security number or bank account or other financial information,’ Boswell said.

For more information visit:

https://www.alabama2020census.com/census-bowl