The Dane County Board approved a resolution establishing the Dane County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee at their May 2nd County Board meeting. The Complete Count Committee is a group of diverse community leaders appointed for the purpose of developing and implementing a comprehensive 2020 Census awareness campaign in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau.
“We need to make sure every resident knows about the census and that they are counted. This committee will need to reach every corner of Dane County to ensure an accurate count” stated Supervisor Tanya Buckingham (District 24) in a statement.
Communities throughout the country have begun forming these committees, including the cities of Madison and Middleton. Dane County will coordinate with municipal committees, and will focus geographically outside of Madison. Additionally, the county will identify areas with a low initial response for the 2010 census and will focus on improving the response for 2020.
The goals of the Dane County 2020 Census Complete Count Committee are to:
• ensure an accurate count of every resident,
• ensure an accurate count of most likely undercounted communities,
• achieve a high return of online, phone, and mailed Census surveys,
• make every resident aware of the Census, and
• make every resident aware that the information they provide for the Census is kept in complete confidence.
As the 2020 Census gets underway, plans that Dane County put into place to establish a Citizen Redistricting Commission will also start to unfold. In 2016 the County Board approved a new Citizen Redistricting Commission to redraw maps following the release of the 2020 Census.
Redistricting has turned into a major political issue in Wisconsin, with critics charging majority Republicans in the State Legislature of drawing maps that benefitted their party following the 2010 Census.
“As the fastest growing county in the state of Wisconsin, it is critical that every resident is counted, and that they are fairly represented when new maps are drawn in 2021,” said County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan (District 26) in a statement. “I’m proud of the thoughtfulness and planning that Dane County has put into place to make both processes transparent and as accurate as possible”.
In 2014 Dane County voters overwhelmingly approved an advisory referendum to establish impartial, nonpartisan redistricting. The County Board then established a subcommittee to make recommendations for how to conduct the next mapping process.
