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Dear Neighbors and Friends,
I hope this newsletter finds you and yours well after another difficult week in our community. I continue to encourage residents to advocate and demonstrate safely for the better, more equitable world we know is achievable.
In that vein, this week’s newsletter has a civic bent with two specific calls to action: (1) to complete the census and check in with your friends and family to see if they have done theirs, and (2) to make a vote plan for the November 3 election. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any questions related to voting, completing the census, or anything else that may be on your mind.
My best,
If you have not yet responded to the 2020 Census on your own, the U.S. Census Bureau is sending census takers to interview households in person through September 30. You are encouraged to cooperate with census takers and ensure that everyone who was living in your household as of April 1, 2020, is counted.
There is still time to respond to the census on your own:
Respond now so you will not need to be visited by a census taker to obtain your census response.
Your response is important in order for our community to receive our fair share of representation in government and our fair share of billions in federal funds that flow to state and local communities. These funds support services such as hospital and emergency services, schools and job training, roads and more.
What Households Can Expect
The Census Bureau will provide face masks to census takers and requires that census takers wear a mask while conducting their work. They will follow CDC and local public health guidelines when they visit. Census takers must complete a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing protocols and other health and safety guidance before beginning their work in neighborhoods.
Census takers are hired from local communities. All census takers speak English, and many are bilingual. If a census taker does not speak the householder’s language, the household may request a return visit from a census taker who does. Census takers will also have materials on hand to help identify the household’s language.
How to Identify Census Takers
Census takers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date on the badge. To confirm a census taker’s identity, the public may contact their regional census center to speak with a Census Bureau representative, by calling 844-330-2020.
If no one is home when the census taker visits, they will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail. See the attached Notice of Visit form.
For more information about census takers: 2020Census.gov/census-takers
Please keep in mind these important election-related dates:
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September 18: Absentee ballots sent out for those who have already requested one; in-person early voting for the general election begins
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October 13: Pre-registration ends at 5 p.m. for the general election
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November 2: In-person early voting for the general election ends at 5 p.m.
November 3: General/Presidential Election Day
A record number of people are voting by mail in 2020, but we still need election judges at polling places for the general election on November 3. Any eligible voter who can read, write and speak English can apply – and multilingual judges are particularly important. Judges receive training and are paid for their time.
We are taking every precaution to ensure polling places are safe for both voters and election judges during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more and apply to become an election judge.
Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing
- Tuesday, September 15, 1:30 p.m.
Provide public comment on the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, a comprehensive report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on metro-wide barriers to fair housing, segregation, affordability, and disparities in housing between racial and ethnic groups. The report provides an in-depth analysis of regional fair housing issues and provides detailed recommendations to mitigate barriers to fair housing.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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