PORTLAND, Oregon —
Every 10 years, we all get to fulfill our civic duty by responding to the United States Census. The census results determine a lot of things, like where funding dollars go in your community, and how many congresspeople your state gets.
It’s all based on April 1 - whoever is living in your house, apartment, or mobile home as of April 1st.
I know what you're thinking... Do I have to do this? Let me answer this for you.
- Yes, you have to. It's required by law. If you don't respond, the Census Bureau will just keep sending you reminders in the mail. And eventually, the bureau will send someone to your house to ask you the questions in-person. And how does that fit in with social distancing? So let's avoid the in-person outcome and just do it now.
- Seriously, you have to. And really, what else are you doing right now? You're probably stuck at home, or even if you're still going to work, you don't have all of your regular social gatherings to attend, so you have extra time on your hands. With just a few minutes of that extra time, you can fulfill your civic duty, and do something good for your community - all without leaving your couch! You could even keep binge-watching whatever you're watching these days, while completing the census.
Because this year, for the first time, you can not just respond to the census by mail and phone, but you can respond online.
And if you haven't started it yet, just know, it goes very quickly. To prove it, I filled out my census questionnaire on-camera, in real-time.
Cassidy Quinn is the host of Tonight With Cassidy on KGW. But right now, like many of you, she is working from home, trying to focus on the happier things going on in the world. Tonight With Cassidy is currently on hiatus, but you can watch previous segments from the show here, and follow Cassidy on Twitter @CassidyQuinn.