NORTHERN VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Why should everyone be counted in the United States Census? Members and guests attending the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley’s annual holiday luncheon, hosted by Shirley Shapiro of Tenafly, learned the impact of the Census is far reaching.
Speaker Alyssa Moreno, civic engagement coordinator with the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, discussed actions the League is undertaking to ensure everyone is counted in the 2020 decennial Census. The League of Women Voters of New Jersey is part of Census 2020 NJ Coalition, comprised of over 30 nonprofits across the state dedicated to ensuring an accurate 2020 Census count.
Census counts are used to decide where to spend more than $22 billion in federal funding for New Jersey’s schools, hospitals, roads, and more. An undercount in 2020 would result in less funding for ten years for communities. The Census counts also determine the number of congressional representatives. After the 2010 Census, New Jersey lost a congressional seat.
“The League of Women Voters of New Jersey, a grassroots organization with over 30 local chapters, is uniquely positioned within the Census 2020 movement,” said Moreno. “This allows us to really partner with other on-the-ground community groups to educate and advocate for populations who have previously been undercounted.”
National, state, and local Leagues will undertake activities and actions around the 2020 decennial census. Getting an accurate count of population from the 2020 Census provides fair political representation. This data is used to draw district lines reflective of the population allocating funds/resources to communities for public safety, planning and disaster response, education needs, hospitals, assistance for veterans, and transportation investment decisions by business for economic growth.
The campaign involves three phases: education, get-out-the-count, and watchdog activities. The U.S. Census Bureau provides materials for individuals interested in forming or joining Complete Count Committees (CCC). CCC’s create awareness in communities and play a key role in obtaining an accurate count of those often hardest to reach.
In the months leading up to Census Day on April 1, 2020, the League of Women Voters will work nationwide in communities providing information and resources about ways to participate. Moreno outlined these six action items League members and the public can do to inform people about the Census:
• Partner with grassroots organizations and co-host Census events that foster inclusion and collaboration;
• Circulate brochures, flyers and postcards at local government, board of education, and community group meetings;
• Help the League identify and work with organizations targeting youth, who often act as navigators for their families and communities;
• Eat meals with the homeless and faith-based communities during the holidays to establish connections and educate about the Census;
• Partner with immigrant activists to advocate that libraries and the Census are safe; and
• Understand the census questionnaire and help people fill out the census at libraries, kiosks, and other designated locations.
To be involved locally in an educational outreach campaign about the Census, contact the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley at lwvno.valley@gmail.com. For further information about the Census 2020 NJ Coalition, contact the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at amoreno@lwvnj.org.
The luncheon attracted members and guests of the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley from the 29 municipalities the chapter services in Bergen County, New Jersey. These municipalities include: Alpine, Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Edgewater, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Leonia, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Tenafly, Washington Township, Westwood and Woodcliff Lake.
The League of Women Voters (LWV), a non-partisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. The nonprofit organization was an outgrowth of the 19th Amendment passed in 1920 giving women the right to vote. Today, the LWV operates at the state and local levels through more than 700 state and local Leagues in all 50 states and in Washington D.C., the Virgin Islands and Hong Kong.
The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley was founded in 1946 as the League of Women Voters of Closter. By 1964, the chapter expanded to include 11 municipalities in the Northern Valley and was renamed the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley. The organization develops grassroots leadership and achieves widespread credibility because it is strictly nonpartisan. Throughout the year, a range of voters services and programs are provided, including candidates’ forums, registration drives, dissemination of nonpartisan information about candidates and issues, and public meetings to discuss current issues. For more information about the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, contact lwvno.valley@gmail.com.