Towns County census response expected to be high

Towns County’s response rate to the 2020 Census could exceed 95 percent, Towns County Democrats heard Thursday night.  

Pat Malone, chairman of the Governor’s Complete Count Committee for Towns and Union Counties said he bases that estimation on Towns’ 88 percent response in 2010, the highest response rate among Georgia’s 159 counties.  He also said the county’s current population of approximately 12,000 is expected to be higher as a result of the decennial count.

The constitutionally required Census starts in earnest on April 1.  Malone stated its purpose is to create an historical record of the nation’s population and form the basis for apportionment of the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the state legislatures, along with the allocation of federal funds.  The first U.S. Census occurred in 1790.

The 2010 Census resulted in an additional seat for Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives:  the 9th Congressional District which includes Towns and 19 other north Georgia counties.  Census officials anticipate the 2020 count will result in 10 states losing one House seat and seven states gaining seats, including as many as three for Florida and two for Texas.

Based on its population in 2016, Malone said Georgia gets back some $2,000 per person in federal funds and another $1.4 billion through rural assistance programs. Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (food stamps), Medicare Part B, and highway planning and construction are just some of the 82 federal programs whose funds are distributed to states based on their population, he said.

The Census will be conducted online for the first time this year.  For those without access to a computer or Internet service, paper and telephone versions are available, according to Malone. Additionally, all Towns County public libraries will have dedicated Census computers available.

He said residents will be asked how many people live at the residence and whether the residence is owned or rented.  Individuals will be asked to provide their name, gender, age, date of birth, race, whether they live at the residence or somewhere else, and their relationship to the head of the household.

Towns Countians should begin receiving in the mail on March 12 a postcard reminder about the upcoming Census which will include the website address. Reminder letters will be mailed between March 26 and April 3.  Those who have not completed the online process between April 8 and 26 will be mailed a paper form to complete, with a final reminder arriving between April 20 and 27.

Malone said Census enumerators will make personal visits to households who have not responded by the end of May, with enumerators going out “six different times, six different days of the week, and six different times of the day.”  He estimated some 180 people are needed to serve as enumerators for Towns County, and applications are still being taken at 2020census.gov/jobs.  Enumerators are paid $17 an hour and mileage, he said.  Training will be conducted in mid-March.

Census material will be available in 17 different languages with 40 additional language translators available if needed.  Students living on campus and those living in assisted living or nursing homes or other group settings will be reported by the facilities’ administrators.  Enumerators will seek out homeless citizens as well.

Also at Thursday’s monthly meeting, Towns Democrats selected David Plunkett of Young Harris to fill a party vacancy on the bipartisan county Board of Elections and Registration.  He would replace Jim Powell of Hiawassee whose term has expired.

Democrats also heard from David Cooper of Rabun County, a candidate for Georgia State House District 8 which includes Towns, Union, Rabun and White counties.

Along with Towns County Republicans, Towns Democrats are presently assisting with training for the annual Top of Georgia Student Public Speaking Contest which is scheduled for March 10 at 6 p.m. at the county Civic Center in Hiawassee.  The public is invited and admission is free.

Towns County Democrats meet the second Thursday of each month at the civic center.  A pot-luck meal at 6 p.m. is followed by the meeting at 6:30.  For more information about local Democratic activities, visit www.townsdemocrats.com or contact them at townscountydemocrats@gmail.com.