What is the Census?

The Census is a brief survey the Census Bureau sends to every household in the country every 10 years.  It is required by the Constitution to count every living person in the United States, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.

The 2020 Census has started! On January 20, 2020, Census questionnaires were delivered to some households in Alaska; most households will receive their 2020 Census questionnaire in March. Many people will have the option to respond online for the first time ever.

Why does it matter?

The Census is a fundamental pillar of our democracy and our constitutional structure, governing the allocation of congressional seats and Electoral College votes.

Census data informs our nation’s most important decisions, including how the federal government spends 900 billion dollars on critical services like building roads, providing for health insurance and supporting education. 

Participation in the Census by everybody makes for a healthier democracy.  If people are not counted, their communities will receive less representation in government and fewer resources.

Is Census data private?

Yes. The Census Bureau is subject to some of the strongest privacy protections in federal law.  Private information collected through any survey conducted by the Census Bureau can never be published. It is against the law for the Census Bureau to disclose or publish any private information that identifies an individual or their address. Personal information collected through the Census also cannot be disclosed to any person, organization, or government body, including other departments of the federal government, state governments or any law enforcement.   

All Census Bureau employees and every person with access to protected census data are legally required to maintain the confidentiality of census data, and sworn for life to protect that information. Anyone who violates this law faces severe penalties.

The ACLU and other groups are monitoring closely to ensure full compliance with privacy protections and laws.  

Will there be a citizenship question on the 2020 Census?

• No. The Supreme Court and other courts have permanently blocked the government from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.
• The 2020 Census questionnaire can be viewed here.

Additional information and resources:

• The Census Counts coalition website at censuscounts.org is a good resource. It includes factsheets for specific demographics like African Americans, and a census participation events calendar.
• Naleo.org/census2020 is a resource for the Latino community and includes state specific information.
• CountUsIn2020.org is a resource for the Asian American/Native Hawaii/Pacific Islander community.  
• Census.narf.org is a resource for Native Americans.

Other languages:

• Español (Spanish)

North Dakota voters will have a chance to help shape the future of our country and choose the candidate they would like to see on the ballot for president of the United States on Tuesday, March 10.

Note that your polling place might be in a different location from where you traditionally vote on general elections or during midterms. Take a look below, and choose which is most convenient for you to travel to on March 10. And before you head out, check our Know You Rights guide so you’re prepared to handle any situation at the ballot box.

Democratic-NPL Presidential Caucus polling place locations:

Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time

• Bismarck: AFL-CIO House of Labor, 1323 E. Front Ave #1

• Minot: IBEW, 125 35th Ave. NE

• Williston: James Memorial Preservation, Classroom, 621 1st Ave. W
• Devils Lake: Holiday Inn Express, 875 Hwy 2 East
• Dickinson: Dickinson Elks Lodge, 501 Elks Drive
• Belcourt: Sky Dancer Casino & Resort, Event Center, 3965 Sky Dancer Way NE
• Fort Yates: Standing Rock High School, Gymnasium, 9189 ND-24
• New Town: Northern Lights Center, 710 East Ave.
• Wahpeton: Wahpeton Community Center, 304 5th St. S
• Fort Totten: Cankdeska Cikana Community College – Gymnasium, 214 1st Ave.
• Grand Forks: IBEW, 1714 N. Washington St.
• Jamestown: Gladstone Hotel, Gladstone I Conference Room, 111 2nd St. NE
• Valley City: Straus Mall, Upper floor, 200 Central Ave. N

Each voter will be required to sign in, notate their selection of candidate and sign a Pledge of Support for the Democratic Party. Votes will be counted by machines in Burleigh County and Cass County. A third-party election vendor will tabulate and produce results. Unlike the traditional presidential caucus that took place in 2016, you can complete your ballot and leave the site.

Republican Presidential Caucus polling place locations:

Open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Central time

• Bismarck: Ramada Inn, 1400 E. Interchange Ave.
• Fargo: Holiday Inn, 3803 13th Ave. S
• Grand Forks: Ramada Inn, 1205 N. 43rd St.
• Minot: Grand Hotel, 1505 N. Broadway
• Underwood: Underwood City Hall, 88 Lincoln Ave.
• Devils Lake: City Plaza, 210 US-2
• Valley City: District 24 GOP Headquarters, 341 North Central Ave.
• Park River: Alexander House Restaurant, 903 Park St. W

Each voter will be required to sign a statement that the voter is affiliated with the Republican Party in past elections or plans to do so in the upcoming election. Votes will be counted on-site by hand and then reported to State Republican Headquarters.

More information here: https://www.kxnet.com/news/local-news/north-dakota-presidential-caucuses-are-coming-up-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

Let’s work together to change school lunch debt policies across North Dakota

School lunch debt policies routinely make headlines across the country.

While the policies vary from district to district – at some schools, children’s meals are thrown away for unpaid lunch bills or at others students are barred from participating in extra-curricular activities – one thing is certain: these policies punish people struggling with poverty.

It’s happening in North Dakota, too.

In Minot, a recent public school board policy update dictates that a student can only accrue up to $15 in lunch debt. After that, the student is provided with an alternative lunch and the family’s debt can be sent to collections. The policy also states that kids with outstanding lunch debt can be prevented from participating in fee-based extra-curricular activities until the lunch bill has been paid and says school district personnel can report any suspected abuse or neglect of a child as required by law.

While some families are able to qualify for assistance, many working families make too much to qualify but not enough to make ends meet. Sometimes, private donors step in to help foot the bills. Jason Boynton, a math professor at North Dakota State University, hosted a charity music show called Lunch Aid in September to pay off nearly $20,000 in student lunch debt in Fargo. And in January, a private donor paid off more than $28,000 in additional lunch debt at Fargo Public Schools.  

But soliciting donations to cover school lunch debt isn’t exactly a sustainable solution

North Dakota kids deserve better than this. Helping our kids today will only help make North Dakota stronger tomorrow.

The Minot Public School Board is holding a special meeting on Feb. 13 to discuss the district’s lunch debt policy. The ACLU of North Dakota and the North Dakota AFL-CIO are encouraging people to attend the meeting and speak up about the policy.

After all, community input on issues like this is important. And it works.

You don’t have to look far to see an example. Thanks to a recent Fargo School Board policy update, families will no longer have to worry about being sent to collections or referred to social services over lunch debt. The school board’s decision to change its policy is a great example of what happens when our elected officials make decisions with input from the community. That’s a win-win situation for everyone.

Improving a school district’s lunch debt policy is something we can do to ensure our kids have the best possible learning environment. But we can’t do it alone. Solving problems is easier when we come together as a community.

Will your community be next? Let’s make a difference for the future of North Dakota together.