By Frank X. Moraga • Amigos805.com
As the nation pauses to honor the sacrifices of those who died on Sept. 11, 2001, there can be no better example of how America reacted to the tragic events that day with a renewed sense of patriotism and dedication to the phrase “Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness.”
America came together following that tragic day, as we need to come together again to honor their sacrifices by taking part in American Democracy by filling out U.S. Census forms by Sept. 30, 2020 and doing everything possible to make sure your vote counts in during the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 general election
During the next few weeks we will highlight the need for our reading audience to take action as these deadlines rapidly approach.
Click here to see the Self-Response Rates Map for the Central Coast and the rest of the United States.
Early U.S. Census deadlines during time of Coronavirus Pandemic threaten voice of communities of colors
The timeline has been moved up for the final U.S. Census count, with the deadline set for Sept. 30, 2020.
The early deadline, especially during this time of Coronavirus shelter-at-home orders during 2020, has put a tremendous strain on the men and women in charge of going out to communities of color and gather information to make sure we have an accurate count of our communities.
Census results are used to determine how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. It is also used to determine the amount of federal funding for schools, health care, public safety, roads and infrastructure, Medicare/Medicaid and other social services.
The Coronavirus Pandemic has caused a delay in getting Census workers from going door-to-door to help families fill out their forms. And while many affluent communities have been able to easily go to https://my2020census.gov to fill out their forms online, the digital divide continues to hinder communities of color from taking part in the Census process.
The time is now for community members and organizations to reach out to the public, stress the importance of the Census to increase our Census response rate. Check with your friends, family members and others and make sure their their voice is counted.
Also see: Bilingual report: Inlakech Cultural Arts Center says respond to Censusform online
Currently,
- Ventura County has a 75.5 percent self-response rate as of Sept. 11, 2020, up from 72.5 percent in 2010
- Santa Barbara County has a 70.3 percent self-response rate as of Sept. 11, 2020, up from 68.5 percent in 2010
- San Luis Obispo County has a 67.5 percent self-response rate as of Sept. 11, 2020, up from 66.3 percent in 2010
The numbers are good, but we can do better!!!
Facts to remember about the Census:
- Count everyone who is living in your house on or after 04/01/20 on your census form
- The census DOES NOT ask about citizenship
- All information collected is required BY LAW to be kept confidential
- Make sure to include children and babies when filling out your census
- EVERYONE COUNTS!
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Get ready for ELECTION SEASON!!!
“Voting has never been easier.” All vote by mail for California! Help us get out the vote. Order a mask for $10 at: info@lwvventuracounty.org. Courtesy image.
As if Fall isn’t busy enough, we also have a General Election scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. All registered voters in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties (and everyone else in California) will be getting an official ballot in the mail for the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election.
Be sure to check if:
- Are you registered to vote?
- Have you checked your voter status?
- Have you changed your registration?
Important dates:
- Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
- The deadline to register online to vote is Monday, Oct. 19, 2020.
- The deadline for registering by mail to vote is (postmarked by) Monday, Oct. 19, 2020.
- The deadline to register in person to vote is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.
- The early voting period runs from Monday, Oct, 5, 2020 to Monday, Nov. 2, 2020, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live.
- You can also register and vote on Election Day.
Due to concerns with in-person voting during the Coronavirus Pandemic, potential intentional delays with the U.S. Postal Service and other ongoing voter disfranchisement efforts, ELECTION DAY has become ELECTION SEASON.
The time is now to get your VOTING PLAN in order.
The League of Women Voters — Ventura County has just released the following information in English and Spanish to help make sure you are prepared to vote. Please feel free to download and pass along this information to other community members and organizations.
Thank you for taking Democracy in your hands.
