According to the Census Bureau, only 89.1 percent of Minnesota's population has been counted, and with a congressional seat hanging in the balance, every percentage point could mean the difference between the state retaining a seat or losing it.
Closer to home, 68.8 percent of the residents in Kandiyohi County have responded to the census, either by phone, mail or online. Willmar has a self-response rate of 72 percent. While that is similar to the rate 10 years ago, it does mean that nearly 30 percent of the population did not finish the census on their own.
Census workers in early August started visiting the residences of those who have not completed the census, including in Kandiyohi County.
"They are out and about and will be until Sept. 30," said Willmar City Clerk Judy Thompson, who is also running the city's Census Complete Count Committee.
Census workers will be identifiable by their ID badge along with a marked census bag and electronic device. They will also be wearing masks due to the coronavirus pandemic. Individuals still concerned about the identity of a census worker can call 844-330-2020 to speak with a Census Bureau representative.
Legitimate workers from the Census Bureau will be asking questions only pertaining to the census. They will not ask for things such as a person's Social Security number or bank information.
"They will not ask any personal stuff" beyond what is on the census, such as name, telephone number and how many people are living at the residence, Thompson said.
The Willmar Complete Count Committee started meeting in 2019, to spread the word about the census and its importance throughout the community. The committee handed out information, made presentations at meetings and helped create instructional videos in English, Spanish, Karen and Somali. The committee tried to reach out to Willmar's diverse communities in an effort to get as many people to complete the census as possible.
"We basically did everything we could do," Thompson said.
Unfortunately, COVID-19 canceled all in-person census events just as the census count was kicking off. The city committee had hoped to have computers set up at the Willmar Public Library and other locations so that people could complete the census. A large at event at Ridgewater College was also canceled.
"That hurt us a lot," Thompson said.
The hope is the committee did enough prior to the pandemic to urge residents to complete the census. Population will not only decide whether Minnesota loses a congressional seat, but it is also used to allocate federal and state funding for many services and programs people rely on.
"It is for the funding that affects our community," Thompson said. "It will affect all funding our community gets for the next 10 years for health care, education, housing, the important things."
Households can still complete the census online at my2020census.go, by phone at 844-330-2020 or by mail with a paper form. The last day to do so is Sept. 30.
"If you have not completed it, please complete it, now. Don't wait any longer," Thompson said. "Be sure to be counted."
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