New Year, New Decade, New Census.

It’s that time again! Ten years have passed, and the Census Bureau is conducting its next count.

While work for the 2020 census began in January of 2019 by the opening of 248 area offices, and sending census takers out to canvas areas that experienced growth to ensure everyone receives an invitation to participate: The counting begins now in January of 2020. The census begins counting in remote areas of Alaska.

Alaska seems far away, but by April 1 of 2020, also known as Census Day, the census is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the census, you tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.

So, what exactly is the census? For some people it may seem like old news, having been through a census before, but for our younger citizens who may not remember the last time, here’s a quick refresher!

The census is a count mandated by the Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency. The 2020 Census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each home will receive an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire—online, by phone, or by mail.

The census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding go to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.

The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.

It’s also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.

Who is required to participate in the 2020 census? The short answer: everyone. Participating in the census is required by law, even if you recently completed another survey from the Census Bureau. A complete and accurate count is critical for you and your community, because the results of the 2020 Census will affect community funding, congressional representation, and more.

After the initial count in April is over, in May of 2020, census takers will begin visiting the homes of everyone who did not respond to ensure everyone is counted. By December of 2020, the Census Bureau delivers apportionment counts to the President and Congress as required by law.