Chesapeake In The Know

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau takes on the massive job of counting all people residing in the United States, an action set forth in Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution. The first census took place in 1790 and found our brand new country’s population to be around 8.9 million, with Virginia being the most populous state. The census is one of the most important civic duties you can take part in because it affects funding and your representation in government.  Preparations are already underway for Census 2020 which will start next spring. 

Before the official count begins, the U.S. Census Bureau needs to verify addresses. Technology helps with much of that but some places need a real-person visit. To accomplish that, U.S. Census workers are in select neighborhoods of Chesapeake now through October 18 for Neighborhood Address Canvassing. You may have a Census worker knock on your door and ask a few basic questions to verify the address and any additional living quarters that may be on the property.

You can identify an official Census worker by their ID badge and they will likely be carrying a Census Bureau bag or laptop. Keep in mind that the U.S. Census Bureau will never ask for your social security number, bank account information, or money.  All information collected by the U.S. Census Bureau is completely confidential and will not be shared with law or immigration enforcement agencies, nor will it be used to determine eligibility for government benefits.

We’ll keep you updated on all things Census over the next several months. More information about the local census work is available here and you can find national information at 2020Census.gov. Get ready to make Chesapeake Count.