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<br /> <br />Diane L. Ley <br />Harry Kim <br />Director <br />Mayor <br /> <br /> <br />Riley Saito <br />Deputy Director <br /> <br /> County of Hawai‘i <br /> DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT <br /> 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1301  Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720-4252 <br /> (808) 961-8366  Fax (808) 935-1205 <br /> E-mail: chresdev@hawaiicounty.gov <br /> <br />August 24, 2020 <br /> <br />News Release <br /> <br />Contact: Diane Ley, Director <br /> 808-961-8368 <br /> <br /> <br />Participate in the 2020 Census Now <br /> <br />Time is running out to participate in the 2020 U.S. Census. It is critical that every <br />household on Hawaii Island be counted. An accurate Census count ensures that <br />our communities will be eligible to receive hundreds of millions in federal program <br />dollars that support our communities such as hospitals, fire and other public safety <br />needs, food assistance and representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. <br /> <br />Currently, it is estimated that only 47.2 percent of Hawaii Island households have <br />responded. Nearly all rural communities on this Island are undercounted, with <br />some self-reporting as low as 26.3 percent. This means that the Census Bureau is <br />required to make door-to-door visits to those who have yet to respond to the 2020 <br />Census. <br /> <br />If the preference is not to be visited at home, households can respond by <br />completing the paper questionnaire and mailing it back or respond online at <br />https://mycensus2020.gov or by phone at 844-330-2020. Those that respond will <br />not need to be visited in person to obtain their census response. <br /> <br />It is critical that everyone treat official Census workers with respect. Census <br />workers who are visiting neighborhoods are local residents – they are someone’s <br />neighbor, co-worker, classmate, or family member. Unfortunately, some workers <br />have been threatened with firearms, which is not necessary or appropriate <br />behavior. Severe escalation of threats will result in police reports being filed. <br /> <br />Census workers arrive wearing an official identification badges that contains their <br />photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date. <br />If there are questions about anyone’s identity, call 844-330-2020 or if you receive <br />a telephone call or voicemail, you can confirm the legitimacy of the call by calling <br />844-899-7717 to speak to a Census Bureau representative. <br /> <br />Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer <br /> <br />