Keeping a safe distance from others doesn’t mean we can’t band together to keep Alabama strong.

Gov. Kay Ivey urged Alabamians to participate in the 2020 census, which officially launched April 1. This official count determines many important outcomes, including the state’s number of congressional districts and its share of federal funding for hundreds of programs.

“It is an unprecedented time in Alabama; however, we must remain committed to census participation,” Ivey said. “The COVID-19 pandemic shows the importance of state representation on a national level. If we lose a representative due to a low census count, that would mean one less voice advocating for Alabama’s needs during critical times in the future.”

Households should have received the census questionnaire in the mail, but you can also respond by phone or online. “Responding now will minimize the need for the Census Bureau to send census takers out into communities to follow up once restrictions are lifted,” said Kenneth Boswell, Alabama Counts! chairman and director of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

Alabamians can participate in the 10-question census online at www.my2020Census.gov, by phone at 1-844-330-2020 or by paper form — all without coming into contact with a census taker. All participants’ information is protected by strict federal law.