Commissioner goes door to door, informing residents of the importance of filling out the U.S. Census

ORLANDO, Fla. — District Six City Commissioner Bakari Burns is doing his part to make sure every America is counted in the current U.S. Census.

Burns went door to door in the Richmond Heights and Washington Shores neighborhoods Saturday,  asking residents if they have completed the census, stressing the importance of taking part in the survey.

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The census gathers demographic information from communities across the United States.  That data is used to determine how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as how federal funding gets allocated.

The U.S. Constitution mandates that the United States conducts a population count every 10 years. The 2020 Census will be the 24th time the U.S. has counted the population since 1790.

The deadline for “in-person counts” is Sept 30.

Burns said he is going door to door to ensure people understand what the count means for them.  He is also reminding residents they can go to the Dr. James R. Smith Center’s computer lab to fill out the Census online.

Read: Orange County encouraging use of free-access internet kiosks to boost 2020 census completion

“There is a digital divide,” Burns said. “Not everyone has a computer or internet access in their home. That’s why we’re letting them know there’s a place they can come do it securely.”

For residents who have not completed the survey, the Smith Center’s computer lab will be open for use, and Census enumerators will be on-hand to assist.

Cox Media Group