How is the information that is collected used?
Data from the census provide the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to communities across the country to support vital programs—impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.
The data is also used to determine the number of congressional seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and redraw the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts. Minnesota currently has 8 seats in the House, but we’re at risk of losing one. A complete count gives our state the strongest possible voice in DC.
Are my answers safe?
Yes, your information is confidential. The U.S. Census Bureau never identifies you individually. It combines your responses with information from other households or businesses to produce statistics, which never identify your household, any person in your household, or business.
Title 13 of the U.S. Code protects the confidentiality of all your information and violating this law is a crime with severe penalties. In addition, other federal laws, including the Confidential Statistical Efficiency Act and the Privacy Act reinforce these protections. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to 5 years, or both.
No law enforcement agency (DHS, ICE, FBI or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time. Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding our community will receive.
What information will be asked?
The decennial census will collect basic information about the people living in your household. When completing the census, you should count everyone who is living in your household on April 1, 2020.
What information will not be asked?
There will be no citizenship question on the 2020 Census. In addition, the Census Bureau will never ask for:
- Social Security numbers.
- Bank or credit card account numbers.
- Money or donations.
- Anything on behalf of a political party.
How do I verify the identity of a census taker who knocks on my door?
If someone visits your home to collect a response for the 2020 Census, you can do the following to verify their identity:
- First, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date.
- If you still have questions about their identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.
Additional handouts for the community:
If you have additional questions:
- English speakers can text COUNT to 662020.
- Spanish speakers can text CENSO to 662020.
- Somali speakers can text TIRI to 662020.
- Hmong speakers can text SUAVPEB to 662020.
Somali speakers may also call 651-333-2144 with questions.
