In response to Monday’s unanticipated announcement that the 2020 United States Census data collection deadline will now be shortened by more than a month, to September 30, 2020, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas introduced an urgency motion at the Board of Supervisors meeting for immediate action to be taken to elevate the concerns of L.A. County to ensure a fair and accurate Census count.

Specifically, the motion directs the L.A. County Chief Executive Officer to send a 5-signature letter to the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, and United States Congressional leadership expressing these concerns.

It also directs County Counsel to monitor the Bureau’s guidance with data collection timelines and to file or join the litigation in opposing the Bureau’s decision.

“One of the most important rights we have is our hard-won right to vote, a right integral to our democracy and directly related to the results of the Census,” Ridley-Thomas said. “So we must make sure that we stand up for all to be counted. To be undercounted is to be underrepresented and to be underrepresented is to be under-funded—we cannot lose sight of what this means for L.A. County.”

On August 3, Bureau Director Steven Dillingham announced that the Census would conclude Non-Response Follow-Up and in-person interviews on September 30, instead of October 31.

This announcement came as a shock to local governments as the October deadline set for data collection was determined in April 2020 by the Bureau. This date was previously extended due to the persistent challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the data collection period is now being shortened for reasons unknown.

A complete and accurate Census count is crucial to allocating more than $675 billion in federal government resources for residents in the United States.

L.A. County’s vast and diverse constituency has historically been difficult to measure with many hard-to-reach populations, including people experiencing homelessness.

Therefore, prudent action must be taken to ensure all residents are equally represented in all levels of government, which also impacts the adjustment of electoral districts.

This shortened Census timeline follows a recent presidential memorandum excluding non-citizens from Census allotment, presenting more barriers for the fair allocation and equitable representation for Angelenos and United States residents.