
Updated May 26, 2020
2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19
Introduction
census. Part of the preparations involve “selecting and
In a March 18, 2020, press release (CB20-RTQ.08), U.S.
hiring field staff.†The operations were to have begun on
Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham announced that
March 1, 2020, but were postponed until May 4 or later,
the bureau was suspending all 2020 decennial census field
depending on office location. The bureau, as noted on its
operations until April 1. This action, a response to the novel
2020 census recruitment site (2020census.gov/jobs),
coronavirus disease first observed in 2019 (COVID-19) and
“continues to accept applications for temporary part-timeâ€
designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization
census positions. “Applicants who have been offered†jobs
on March 11, 2020, came at a critical time for the census.
“are still selected†for these positions and can continue
Although April 1 was the official Census Day, early data
checking the site for further information about when they
collection began in remote Toksook Bay, Alaska, on
will be fingerprinted and trained.
January 21. Other tightly timed field operations were
underway or imminent, including the bureau’s personal
The Initial Response Phase
outreach to hard-to-count areas and groups. Dr. Dillingham
Invitations to answer the census were mailed to about 95%
stated on March 18 that if “additional adjustments†became
of U.S. households from March 12 to March 20, 2020. By
necessary, the bureau would make them known “promptly.â€
May 17, the Census Bureau reported, 59.6% of households
had answered; 48.1% had responded online. The bureau,
A subsequent press release, dated March 28, 2020 (CB20-
before the pandemic, had strongly encouraged online
RTQ.14), gave notice that field operations would not
responses as the fastest, easiest, most accurate way to
resume until April 15.
complete the census, and lately is promoting the internet for
these advantages, plus no associated risk of contracting
An April 13, 2020, press release (CB20-RTQ.16) and new
COVID-19. In addition, the bureau is accepting completed
operations schedule indicated the bureau’s need to delay
paper questionnaires by mail and answers by telephone.
release of the 2020 state census counts for apportioning
This initial phase of the census, in which households are
seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the data for
asked to respond soon after receiving their invitations, was
within-state redistricting past the respective December 31,
to continue from March 12 to July 31. The adjusted
2020, and March 31, 2021, legal deadlines for these
schedule extends the initial phase until October 31.
products (see Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 141 (b) and (c)).
Remote Alaska
A May 4, 2020, press release (CB20-CN.44) and May 7
The operation that began in Toksook Bay on January 21,
revised schedule announced a “phased restart†of certain
2020, was to end on April 30. The tentative end date is now
2020 census field operations, to begin immediately in
June 19, but, the bureau advised, “some areas with year-
selected areas “in coordination with federal, state, and local
round populations will be enumerated†when enumeration
health officials.†The bureau noted that field and Area
“is safe to do.â€
Census Office (ACO) staff will receive training in safety
measures to avoid contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
Update Enumerate
Staff also are to receive personal protective equipment
During Update Enumerate, enumerators are to update the
before operations restart. A list of the first ACOs chosen to
addresses of, and interview in person, about 2,000
reopen accompanied the release. The list, the bureau stated,
households in remote areas of northern Maine and southeast
is being updated weekly as more offices are added.
Alaska. The operation began on March 16, 2020, and was
to end on April 30. It has been suspended until June 14 and
This In Focus notes the various major components of the
is to continue until July 29. The bureau, to protect both
bureau’s 2020 census fieldwork; their original and latest
census takers and respondents from COVID-19, has
schedules, as of May 7, 2020, with some subsequent
directed that enumerators conduct interviews outside
updates; and relevant legislation.
homes, at least six feet away from respondents.
The Original Operational Schedule and
Update Leave
May 7, 2020, Revision, with Updates
Another operation, Update Leave, covers not quite 5% of
households, located where residents are unlikely to receive
Field Office Operations
mail at their homes. Examples include across Puerto Rico
Census Bureau managers and staff at 2020 census field
and in other areas that have recently experienced natural
offices are to conduct, according to the bureau,
disasters. Enumerators update the addresses of these
“administrative, training, deployment, and support
households for the bureau’s master address file and drop off
activities†for the “peak data collection†phase of the
paper census forms, invitations, and instructions for those
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2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19
who choose to answer the census online, with telephone
Count of People at Transitory Locations
assistance if requested. Originally scheduled for March 15
From April 9 to May 4, 2020, census takers were to
to April 17, 2020, in the 50 states, the District of Columbia,
enumerate people staying at campgrounds, recreational
and Puerto Rico, the operation was suspended. It restarted
vehicle parks, hotels, and marinas, if they did not usually
in selected ACOs stateside on May 4. The Puerto Rican
live elsewhere. The operation has been rescheduled
operation resumed on May 22.
tentatively to begin on September 3 and end on September
28, but, according to the bureau, “may need further review
Mobile Questionnaire Assistance
and coordination.â€
The plan for Mobile Questionnaire Assistance is to have
bureau staff help the public answer the census online at
Count of Homeless People Outdoors
places frequented by large numbers of people, such as
On April 1, 2020, enumerators were to count homeless
community centers and grocery stores. The operation was
people living outdoors in locations where they are known to
to occur from March 30 to July 31, 2020. Currently
sleep, including under bridges and highway overpasses, in
suspended, it needs, according to the bureau, “further
parks, at rest stops, and at businesses that stay open all
review and coordination with outside partners and
night. The bureau has reported that the operation now
stakeholders.â€
“needs further review and coordination with outside
partners and stakeholders.â€
Early Nonresponse Follow-Up (Early NRFU)
The Data for Apportionment
The purpose of this operation was to contact off-campus
Under Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 141 (b), the 2020 state
households around colleges and universities that had not
census counts for House apportionment must be delivered
answered the census and reach students there before they
to the President no later than December 31, 2020. The
departed for the summer or graduated. The bureau’s latest
fieldwork and myriad other operations that support the
updated fieldwork schedule notes that NRFU (see below)
census, resulting in the state apportionment counts and
now is to include the areas where Early NRFU would have
corresponding numbers of House seats allocated to the
been conducted, from April 9 to July 31, 2020.
individual states, are timed to allow for their completion,
Nonresponse Follow-Up (NRFU)
including final checks, before the legal deadline. This
process was to occur from July 31 to December 31. It now
The major follow-up effort, in which enumerators across
is scheduled to start on October 31, 2020, and end on April
the nation are to visit nonrespondents and collect their
30, 2021, four months past the legal deadline.
census data in person, is considered essential for achieving
a complete, accurate census. NRFU originally was
The Data for Within-State Redistricting
scheduled for May 13 to July 31, 2020. The start has been
Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 141 (c), requires that the
delayed until August 11 and the end until October 31.
bureau, by March 31, 2021, deliver to the states tabulations
of census data for use in redrawing state congressional and
Group Quarters: Nursing Homes, Prisons, and
legislative districts. The data now are to be delivered by
Other Institutional Facilities
July 31, 2021, four months after the statutory deadline.
Census takers, in cooperation with the facilities’
administrators, are to enumerate these residents at the
Related Legislation
facilities. Online responses are another option. The in-
H.R. 6446 was introduced by Representative Clay Higgins
person operation was to begin on April 2 and end on June 5,
on April 3, 2020, and referred to the House Oversight and
2020. The revised schedule is July 1 to September 3, and
Reform Committee, without further action. The bill would
the bureau has asked administrators to choose options for
authorize the President to suspend 2020 census activities
enumeration that will reduce direct personal contact.
temporarily, until he determined that the COVID-19
situation warranted their resumption or until the national
Students living on campus were to be counted through their
COVID-19 emergency, declared on March 13, 2020, ended.
colleges and universities as part of Group Quarters
enumeration; alternatively, they have been encouraged to
On May 15, 2020, the House passed H.R. 6800, the fifth
answer the census online. Students who have left campus
FY2020 emergency supplemental appropriations bill in
housing, are staying elsewhere because of the COVID-19
response to COVID-19. The bill would provide $400.0
situation, and intend to return to school when the situation
million for the Census Bureau’s Periodic Censuses and
permits still are to report campus housing as their usual
Programs account, which funds the decennial census. (The
residence. The latest operational schedule does not discuss
bureau currently is drawing on a $2.0 billion contingency
this enumeration.
fund designated in prior-year appropriations for
emergencies that could arise during the census; see CRS In
Service-Based Enumeration
Focus IF11538, Overview of FY2021 Appropriations for the
In this operation, enumerators are to work with service
Census Bureau.) The legislation also would authorize a
providers to count homeless people at soup kitchens,
four-month extension of the deadlines for reporting
shelters, and food vans that make scheduled stops.
apportionment and redistricting data, consistent with the
Originally set for March 30 to April 1, 2020, the operation
reporting delays that the bureau announced on April 13.
now, in the bureau’s assessment, “needs further review and
coordination with outside partners and stakeholders.â€
Jennifer D. Williams, Specialist in American National
Government
IF11486
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2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19
Disclaimer
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