Leaders worried about maintaining momentum with talks of census being pushed to next year

Weeks after ensuring census numbers were on track to be delivered by the end of the year, bureau members are asking Congress for an extension on the once-a-decade survey after efforts were stalemated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The move has left local leaders worried about maintaining momentum for an accurate count.

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham have asked Congress for a four-month extension, or 120 days, for delivering final apportionment counts. That means the White House would receive counts by April 30, 2021, rather than Dec. 31.

“Our challenge will be to maintain momentum,” said Gregg Behr, member of the Allegheny County Complete County Committee, noting that local complete count committees started a push for an accurate count at the beginning of last year through informational meetings and social media campaigns.

If the request is accepted by Congress, complete count committees would have until Oct. 31 to ensure an accurate count, extended from the original Aug. 15 deadline.

While 52% of people in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties self-responded, according to a self-response map, efforts for the remaining population to be counted came to halt days before April 1, or census day, because of the spread of the coronavirus.

While organizations have turned to spreading a positive message about the census at food distribution sites and by showing how funds from the survey are used at hospitals and for emergency relief services, reaching hard-to-count populations will be difficult since officials are not permitted to go door-to-door because of social distancing guidelines.

Census officials rolled back field operations — or workers who go door-to-door, ensuring an accurate count — once the virus started to spread. Originally, the efforts were suspended until April 15 to help keep workers and community members safe.

Now, bureau officials are hoping to reactivate field offices starting June 1, with field data collection following shortly after.

According to Tay Waltenbaugh, member of the Westmoreland County Complete Count Committee, field operations are essential for Westmoreland residents who do not have access to the internet, making online pushes counterproductive for a large part of the county.

Now, Waltenbaugh is looking at the potential extra time as a way to reach those populations once field operations are reinstated.

“I think the best job that we can do is back it up a little bit so we can get an accurate count and get people going door-to-door,” Waltenbaugh said.

Behr agreed, noting the time could be used to reach populations that are less likely to self-respond to the survey.

“The opportunity, of course, is to use this additional time to concentrate our efforts in those areas in the city and across the county that are not yet responding at rates that we aim to achieve,” Behr said. “With additional time, we will aim to do just that.”

Congress is reviewing the request, which would push back redistricting data to be delivered to the states to July 31, 2021.

Following a call to a number of Congress members, The New York Times reported, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y., who is also chairwoman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, said the request is being reviewed.

She added that members of the committee have asked for further information regarding the request, “that the Administration has been unwilling to provide.”

Residents are encouraged to continue filling out the census online, over the phone or by mailing in a hard copy.