Do you know the value of the count?
On May 16, Represent PA hosted a breakfast in Center City, Philadelphia featuring Erin Casey, Executive Director of PA Voice. Erin explained that the census directs billions of dollars in federal aid to states and determines legislative representation nationwide. Pennsylvania has a vested interest in making sure every resident is counted to ensure the commonwealth gets its fair share and citizens have fair representation.
Pennsylvania currently receives more than $39.2 billion annually through census-backed programs, according to the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy, meaning an undercount could cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
An undercount also could affect:
- Pennsylvania’s congressional standing. Pennsylvania easily could lose one or more of its 18 representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives. This could mean the loss of one or more of the state’s 20 electoral votes.
- How new Pennsylvania state house and senate districts are redrawn in 2021.
Erin also explained the identification of the populations that hardest to count, and therefore most likely to be missed in the count. You can view the details of these groups here: https://www.keystonecounts.org/who-might-be-missed
What happens with this census becomes our reality for the next decade, which could have serious repercussions if it isn’t done right.
If you want to support this effort, please take action HERE by telling your lawmakers that you want the state to allocate funds in the 2019-20 General Fund to ensure a fair and accurate census.
