The state of Michigan officially kicks off the 2020 Census on Wednesday.
The census is the largest peacetime effort in the United States.
The count influences a range of funding decisions from Medicaid to childhood literacy. It will also determine the size of Michigan’s congressional delegation.
Michigan census director Kerry Ebersole Singh says there’s a number of ways to complete the census form and send it in.
“You can fill it out online, through the mail or through the phone,” she says. “The door-to-door operation will hit the streets in May. So, if you don't want your dogs to bark or your dinner to be disturbed, please fill out that census form before the end of April.”
The census form will be available online starting March 12.
Singh says a big focus will be to include nearly 2 million Michigan residents who are at risk of going uncounted because of homelessness and language barriers.