Updated August 17, 2020
2020 Census Fieldwork Delayed by COVID-19
Introduction
operation, Nonresponse Follow-Up (NRFU), covered
In a March 18, 2020, press release (CB20-RTQ.08), U.S.
below.
Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham announced that
the bureau was suspending all 2020 decennial census field
This In Focus discusses the various major components of
operations until April 1. This action, a response to the novel
the bureau’s 2020 census fieldwork, their original and latest
coronavirus disease first observed in 2019 (COVID-19) and
schedules, and relevant legislation.
designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization
on March 11, 2020, came at a critical time for the census.
The Original Operations Schedule and
Although April 1 was the official Census Day, early data
Latest Revision
collection began in remote Toksook Bay, Alaska, on
January 21. Other tightly timed field operations were
Field Office Operations
underway or imminent, including the bureau’s personal
Census Bureau managers and staff at 2020 census field
outreach to hard-to-count areas and groups. Dr. Dillingham
offices are conducting, the bureau stated, “administrative,
stated on March 18 that if “additional adjustments” became
training, deployment, and support activities” for the “peak
necessary, the bureau would make them known “promptly.”
data collection” phase of the census. Part of the
preparations involves “selecting and hiring field staff.” The
A subsequent press release, dated March 28, 2020 (CB20-
operations were to have begun on March 1, 2020, but were
RTQ.14), gave notice that field operations would not
postponed until phased reopening occurred, from May 4 to
resume until April 15.
June 12. The bureau, its 2020 census recruitment site
(2020census.gov/jobs) indicates, still wants applicants for
An April 13, 2020, press release from Secretary of
temporary, part-time census work, especially in certain
Commerce Wilbur Ross and Dr. Dillingham (CB20-
counties identified on the site.
RTQ.16), with a new operations schedule, indicated the
bureau’s need to delay release of the 2020 state census
The Initial Response Phase
counts for apportioning seats in the U.S. House of
Invitations to answer the census were mailed to about 95%
Representatives and the data for within-state redistricting
of U.S. households from March 12 to March 20, 2020. By
past the respective December 31, 2020, and March 31,
August 12, the Census Bureau reported, 63.5% of
2021, legal deadlines for these products (see Title 13, U.S.
households had answered; 50.8% had responded online.
Code, Section 141 (b) and (c)).
The bureau, before the pandemic, had strongly encouraged
online responses as the fastest, easiest, most accurate way
A May 4, 2020, press release (CB20-CN.44) and May 7
to complete the census, and lately is promoting the internet
revised schedule announced a “phased restart” of certain
for these advantages, plus no associated risk of contracting
2020 census field operations, to begin immediately in
COVID-19. In addition, the bureau is accepting completed
selected areas “in coordination with federal, state, and local
paper questionnaires by mail and answers by telephone.
health officials.” The bureau noted that field and Area
The initial phase of the census, in which households are
Census Office (ACO) staff would receive training in safety
asked to respond without further prompting by the bureau,
measures to avoid contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
was to continue from March 12 to July 31. The adjusted
Staff also were to receive personal protective equipment
schedule shows this phase concluding on September 30.
before operations restarted. A list of the first ACOs to
reopen accompanied the release. The list was updated
Remote Alaska
weekly through June 9 as more offices were added.
The operation that began in Toksook Bay on January 21,
2020, is to end on August 31 and is expected to be
Dr. Dillingham, in an August 3, 2020, press release (CB20-
completed mostly on schedule, but, the bureau advised,
RTQ.23), announced a revision of the earlier plan to delay
“some areas with year-round populations will be
releasing the apportionment numbers past December 31.
enumerated” when enumeration “is safe to do.”
The latest plan, the announcement stated, was to meet the
deadline, “as required by law and directed by the Secretary
Update Enumerate
of Commerce.” The operations schedule was revised
During Update Enumerate, enumerators are to update the
accordingly. It noted that OMB “recently submitted” a $1
addresses of, and interview in person, about 2,000
billion supplemental request for the 2020 census, for more
households in remote areas of northern Maine and southeast
hiring, “pay incentives, additional outreach and advertising,
Alaska. The operation began on March 16, 2020, and was
and replenished contingency funding to provide needed
to end on April 30. It was suspended until June 14, then was
flexibility” as the bureau conducts its largest field
to continue until July 29. The bureau, to protect both census
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2020 Census Fieldw ork Delayed by COVID-19
takers and respondents from COVID-19, directed that
shelters, and food vans that make scheduled stops.
enumerators conduct interviews outside homes, at least six
Originally set for March 30 to April 1, 2020, the operation
feet away from respondents.
now is to occur from September 22 to September 24.
Update Leave
Count of People at Transitory Locations
From April 9 to May 4, 2020, census takers were to
Another operation, Update Leave, covers about 5 million
enumerate people staying at campgrounds, recreational
households stateside and about 1.7 million in Puerto Rico,
vehicle parks, hotels, and marinas, if they did not usually
located where residents are unlikely to receive mail at their
live elsewhere. The operation has been rescheduled to begin
homes. Enumerators update the addresses of these
on September 3 and end on September 28.
households for the bureau’s master address file and drop off
paper census forms, invitations, and instructions for those
Count of Homeless People Outdoors
who choose to answer the census online, with telephone
On April 1, 2020, enumerators were to count homeless
assistance if requested. Originally scheduled for March 15
people living outdoors in locations where they are known to
to April 17, 2020, the operation was suspended. It restarted
sleep, including under bridges and highway overpasses, in
stateside in phases between May 4 and June 12, and in
parks, at rest stops, and at businesses that stay open all
Puerto Rico on May 22.
night. The operation now is scheduled for September 23
and September 24.
Mobile Questionnaire Assistance
During Mobile Questionnaire Assistance, the bureau stated
The Data for Apportionment
in a July 14, 2020, press release (CB20-CN.80), more than
Under Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 141 (b), the 2020 state
3,000 bureau staff were to help the public answer the
census counts for House apportionment must be delivered
census online, using their own devices or a 2020 census
to the President no later than December 31, 2020. The
tablet, in areas determined to have the lowest response rates
fieldwork and myriad other operations that support the
and in weekly “coordination with local partners.” The
census, resulting in the state apportionment counts and
operation was to occur from March 30 to July 31, 2020, but
corresponding numbers of House seats allocated to the
the latest schedule states that it is “being modified to reflect
states, are timed to allow for their completion, including
the current environment.”
final checks, before the legal deadline. This process was to
occur from July 31 to December 31, then was rescheduled
Nonresponse Fol ow-Up
to begin on October 31, 2020, and end on April 30, 2021,
This major effort, in which enumerators across the nation
four months past the legal deadline. As of August 3, 2020,
visit nonrespondents and collect their census data in person,
the bureau is to release the apportionment data on time.
is considered essential for achieving a complete, accurate
The Data for Within-State Redistricting
census. NRFU originally was scheduled for May 13 to July
Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 141 (c), requires that by March
31, 2020. The start was delayed until August 11 (except for
31, 2021, the tabulations of census data for use in redrawing
a trial “soft launch” that began on July 16) and the end until
state congressional and legislative districts be delivered to
October 31, but NRFU and all other data collection
the states that have requested them. Under the adjusted
operations now are to end no later than September 30.
schedule announced on April 13, 2020, the data were to be
NRFU currently is to include nonresponding off-campus
delivered by July 31, 2021, four months after the statutory
households around colleges and universities that originally
deadline, but now are to be ready on the original schedule.
were slated for early NRFU, from April 9 to July 31.
Related Legislation
Group Quarters: Nursing Homes, Prisons, and
H.R. 6800, the fifth FY2020 emergency supplemental
Other Institutional Facilities
appropriations bill in response to COVID-19 (the Heroes
Census takers, in cooperation with the facilities’
Act), passed the House on May 15, 2020, and was placed
administrators, are to enumerate these residents at the
on the Senate calendar on June 1. The legislation would
facilities. Online responses are another option. The in-
provide an extra $400.0 million for the Census Bureau’s
person operation was to begin on April 2 and end on June 5,
Periodic Censuses and Programs account, which funds the
2020. The revised schedule is July 1 to September 3, and
decennial census, and would authorize a four-month
the bureau has asked administrators to choose options for
extension of the deadlines for reporting the apportionment
enumeration that will reduce direct personal contact.
and redistricting data, consistent with the delays that
Secretary Ross and Dr. Dillingham, on April 13, announced
Students living on campus were to be counted through their
were necessary.
colleges and universities as part of Group Quarters
Additional bills that, among other purposes, would extend
enumeration; alternatively, they have been encouraged to
the deadlines have not advanced beyond committee
answer the census online. Students who have left campus
referrals. They are H.R. 6446 (Higgins), H.R. 7034 and
housing, are staying elsewhere because of the COVID-19
H.R. 7974 (Maloney), and S. 4048 (Harris).
situation, and intend to return to school when the situation
permits still are to report campus housing as their usual
Jennifer D. Williams, Specialist in American National
residence. The latest operations schedule does not discuss
Government
this enumeration.
IF11486
Service-Based Enumeration
In this operation, enumerators are to work with service
providers to count homeless people at soup kitchens,
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2020 Census Fieldw ork Delayed by COVID-19


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