WVU-P does its best to make 2020 Census effort count

PARKERSBURG -- West Virginia University at Parkersburg helped people get counted in the 2020 Census on Wednesday.

The college's Center for Civic Engagement and Innovation in downtown Parkersburg at 414 Market St. held a 2020 Census Mobile Questionnaire Assistance Event.

The purpose of the event was to station census representatives in a high-traffic area of Wood County, close to an area that has traditionally seen lower turnout in responses, to encourage and assist people with responding to the 2020 Census, said Charles Rector, 2020 Census partnership specialist.

It is separate from census takers going door-to-door to count households that have yet to respond.

More than a dozen residents participated, but Rector believes rainy weather cut down on downtown foot traffic.

Census personnel were on hand to help people prepare census forms on a 2020 Census tablet or their own device.

"That is what they are here for," Rector said. "We are trying to get people situated in places where they can get some traffic."

Rector said some operations regarding the 2020 Census will conclude toward the end of the month. The deadline for Census field data collection and self-response is Sept. 30, the Census Bureau said.

"COVID has impacted us in this state," Rector said. "We would have liked to have done this at county fairs and other events, but many of those have been canceled. We are trying to do what we can. We are trying to end with a bang here."

Rector credited WVU-P with promoting Census efforts throughout the university and its publications to encourage students to fill out the census form.

As of Aug. 24, the national Census response rate was 64.5 percent. West Virginia was at 55.5 percent and Wood County, with one of the highest response rates so far in the state, was at 69.7 percent.

"I think Wood County is second in the state," Rector said. "We are trying to get those ones who are reluctant to do it online or the paper form. It is easy. There are just nine questions."

Some people might recall the long form used in the past, which Rector said no longer exists.

"It is not near as intrusive as people might think it is, based on those past forms," he said.

The U.S. Constitution mandates a Census of the population every 10 years. The goal of the 2020 Census is to count everyone who lives in the United States on April 1, 2020, (Census Day).

Census statistics are used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and helps determine how billions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated by state, local and federal lawmakers for the next 10 years.

"We are trying to help these communities that rely on these federal funds," Rector said.

Another event will be 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at Piggly Wiggly on Plum Street.

Rector said they are looking to hold events next week in Mineral Wells.

The Census Bureau is still hiring people to work until the end of the month. Employees make $16.50 an hour plus mileage, he said.

Senta M. Goudy, dean for the Center for Civic Engagement and Innovation at WVU-P, said it is encouraging students to take up the work.

"We need a full-court press right now," she said.

Goudy said this was one of the first things the new center has been engaged in being part of the community and providing people an access point to do the Census.

"This is the first of many things we anticipate happening in this space," she said.

Support from WVU-P has been great, Rector said.

"We all are trying to help the community," he said.

Goudy said they are encouraging students and everyone in the community to be counted through efforts that highlight the message of "Let's Get Counted."

"When our students get counted they are designing their own future."

Residents can still self-respond online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 844 330-2020 or by completing and mailing in the paper questionnaire they received, local Census officials said.

Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com