The U.S. Census Bureau has extended the 2020 Census nationwide until Saturday, Oct. 31. The extension is welcome news to Baldwin as citizens are still working to recover after Hurricane Sally slammed into the Gulf Coast in September.

As of Tuesday, Oct. 6, the National Self-Response rate was 66.7%. Alabama’s Self-Response rate was 63.4%, and Baldwin County lagged behind both national and state averages at 58%.

For every person who does not fill out their Census, the state loses $1,600 per person annually for the next ten years. These funds affect education, healthcare and highway infrastructure. And at the current response rate, Alabama is in jeopardy of losing one of its seven seats in the United States House of Representatives.

“This extra time will make a difference as Alabama households have more time to be counted,”

said ADECA Director and Alabama Counts! chairman Kenneth Boswell. “It takes a matter of minutes to determine the future of our state, let’s use this time to cement our tally and influence all that depends on this final count.”

Those who have not yet filled out their 2020 Census can do so by responding online at www.my2020census.gov, by phone toll-free 844-330-2020, by returning the mailed paper form or by giving household’s information to a socially distanced door-to-door census taker.

No personal information, such as social security numbers or citizenship, is asked for when taking the Census. All information filled out is private and protected by federal law.

For more information on the 2020 Census in Alabama, please visit https://alabama2020census.com.