The U.S. Census Bureau has suspended field operations until April 1 as it continues to carefully monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and follow the guidance of federal, state and local health authorities.

The Census Bureau announced Monday that it is taking this step to help protect the health and safety of the American public, Census Bureau employees and everyone going through the hiring process for temporary census taker positions.

The self-response phase of the census survey has been extended from July 31 to Aug. 14. Nonresponse followup that was to begin May 13 has been delayed to May 28.

As the bureau continues to monitor the evolving COVID-19 outbreak, it will adjust census taker and survey operations as necessary to follow the guidance of health authorities.

The Census Bureau reminds people that it is easy to respond online, over the phone or by mail without having to meet a census taker. Go online to census.gov to complete the census easily, quickly and safely.

The following toll-free phone numbers are available from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m., Central Time, seven days a week, in various languages:

® English 844-330-2020

® Spanish 844-468-2020

® Chinese (Mandarin) 844-391-2020

® Chinese (Cantonese) 844-398-2020

® Vietnamese 844-461-2020

® Korean 844-392-2020

® Russian 844-417-2020

® Arabic 844-416-2020

® Tagalog 844-478-2020

® Polish 844-479-2020

® French 844-494-2020

® Haitian Creole 844-477-2020

® Portuguese 844-474-2020

® Japanese 844-460-2020

® Telephone Display Device (TDD) 844-467-2020

All lines feature live support providing information about the 2020 Census and assistance with the questionnaire.

The Census Bureau plans to offer assistance with responding to the 2020 Census at events and locations where people naturally gather as part of its Mobile Questionnaire Assistance program. However, with many communities practicing social distancing, these events have been delayed until April 13. That date will be re-assessed as it gets closer.

The Early Nonresponse Operation has been delayed from April 9 to May 7. In this operation, census takers begin following up with households that haven’t responded yet around some colleges and universities. By starting early, the bureau can count households in areas with off-campus housing before the end of the spring semester when students may leave for another residence.

College students living in on-campus housing are counted through their university as part of the Group Quarters Operation, which counts all students living in university-owned housing. In addition to college dormitories, the Group Quarters Operation also includes places such as nursing homes, group homes, halfway houses and prisons.

During the recent 2020 Census Group Quarters Advance Contact operation, the Census Bureau contacted college/university student housing administrators to get their input on the enumeration methods that will allow students to participate in the 2020 Census. The majority, about 47 percent, chose the eResponse methodology and about 7 percent chose paper listings, both of which provide the Census Bureau directory information (electronically or via paper records) about each student.

About 35 percent, however, chose drop-off/pick-up, which allows students to self-respond using an individual census questionnaire. The Census Bureau will be contacting those schools to ask whether they would like to change that preference.

Minot State University states it will be sending emails to students periodically throughout the next several weeks, reminding them to complete the census.

In general, college students should be counted where they live and sleep most of the time. For most students, this is at school.

The Census Bureau is contacting all group quarters administrators that have requested an in-person visit and asking them to consider an eResponse or offering to drop off and later pick up paper forms to minimize in person contact with census staff.

The Census Bureau is working with service providers at emergency and transitional shelters, soup kitchens and regularly schedule mobile food vans to adapt plans to count the populations they serve.

The Census Bureau plans to stay on track to deliver completed census information to states by April 1, 2021.

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Census response rates still low

As of last Saturday, 13.9% of Ward County residents had participated in Census 2020. That’s lower than the state rate of 18.5% and national rate of 19.2%.

Minot’s rate was 16.1%. That trails Grafton at 24.3%.

Minot is taking on Grafton in the first round of the North Dakota League of Cities Census Craziness Tournament. The city that leads as of Thursday moves on to the next two-week round against either Fargo or Valley City. Valley City currently leads.

Sixteen large cities and 16 small cities are competing in separate brackets to see which can register the greater percentage of their residents by May 7.

The website with the census response rate map is https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html

– Jill Schramm