Why do we take the census?

The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 2) mandates a headcount every 10 years of everyone residing in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas of the United States. This includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, citizens, and non-citizens. The population totals from the census determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. States also use the totals to redraw their legislative and school districts. The next census occurs in 2020. The population totals also affect funding in your community, and data collected in the census help decision makers know how our community is changing.

The Complete Count Committees (CCC) program is key to creating awareness in your community.

  • CCC utilizes local knowledge, influence, and resources to educate communities and promote the census through locally based, targeted outreach efforts.
  • CCC provides a vehicle for coordinating and nurturing cooperative efforts between tribal, state, and local governments; communities; and the Census Bureau.
  • CCC helps the Census Bureau get a complete count in 2020 through partnerships with local governments and community organizations.

The Complete Count Committee Structure

This Committee is comprised of the City Mayor Sylvester Turner, County Judge Hidalgo, Houston in Action Facilitator and selected community leaders, who have access to the undercounted communities and/or resources to support the work. They are representative of diverse sectors and provide resources to decrease the undercount. The committee will inform and drive the overall strategy to ensure a complete 2020 Census count.

  • The CCC involves every aspect of a local community inits subcommittee structure—government, education, faith-based organizations, media, community-based organizations, business, foundations or other philanthropic organizations, and recruiting.
  • The Census Bureau does not manage Complete Count Committees.
  • The following are examples of a typical subcommittee structure. Other subcommittees may be formed based on the focus of the CCC or the needs of the community. Examples of other subcommittee topics are migrant and seasonal farmworkers, children/youth services, immigrants, senior services,and the disabled community. The subcommittee chairpersons may recruit members for their respective teams. The ideal candidates for a Complete Count Committee are those community members who have expertise, influence, and experience in the area of the respective committee. Committees that invest time, resources,and energy in this project are more productive and successful.