We Count! The Road for Ward 8 to
Become Census Ready
:: The Online Census Application is NOW OPEN: https://my2020census.gov/
The US Census is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and takes place every 10 years. The data collected by the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities.
The Census helps our community determine where to build everything from schools to supermarkets, and from homes to hospitals. It also helps the government decide how to distribute funds and assistance to residents in our ward. That's why we must get Census-ready.
Why the Census Matters for Ward 8:
- The federal government distributes over $3B dollars annually to the District, some of which comes to Ward 8 to support vital programs based on census data.
- Census data will be used to update our Ward and ANC boundaries to reflect population growth and movement in Ward 8 and across the District.
- District agencies rely on accurate census data for budgeting, planning and policy decision making for our ward and across the city.
- Ward 8 residents use the census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.
- Businesses use census data to decide where to build offices and stores that create jobs in Ward 8.