Every 10 years, the United States government sets out to count every single person living in the country—something it’s been doing since 1790. The information is used to determine how critical resources, including congressional representation and hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding, are allocated. This year poses a particular challenge for federal officials, though: How do you count people during a pandemic?
“The assumption this year has been that a great many people will submit their census forms online and/or use other kinds of digital media to ensure they’re counted,” says Ted Landsmark, distinguished professor of public policy and urban affairs at Northeastern, and director of the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy.
