By Herbert A. Jacobs,
Dillon County Census Count Committee
On Thursday evening, September 24, 2020, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ruled that the 2020 Census count must continue through October 31, 2020. That ruling was upheld and confirmed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on October 1, 2020. Therefore, the 2020 Census count will continue through October 31, 2020.
The most recent Self Response Rate for Dillon County is 45.6% (September 25, 2020) which places our county at # 44 out of 46 counties in South Carolina. With the additional 31 days, we have the opportunity to raise our Self Response Rate closer to 100%. Efforts over the last month have had a visible impact on increasing the numbers and the response rates in our three major towns – Dillon’s response rate is 51.4%; Latta’s response rate is 49.5%; Lake View’s response rate is 40%.
A number of promotional events have happened in Lake View, Latta and Dillon. Dillon Wellness Center hosted an on-site Census completion assistance activity on Saturday, September 26, 2020. This event was sponsored by a collaboration of city and county governments and local businesses. We are hopeful that the local governments and local businesses use their networks, contacts, clients and customers to make an all-out effort to get more Dillon County residents take the 2020 Census survey. Doing so will benefit them and all residents of our county.
The extension of the 2020 Census count to October 31, 2020 gives us a second chance to get it right the first time. We can and must get it right the first time. We only get this one count in 2020. There will be “No Do Over”.
The numbers that we report to the U.S. Census Bureau will be the numbers that will be used for the next ten years (until 2030) to determine Dillon County’s share of the nearly $1.5 trillion dollars that will be returned to U.S. communities in federal funds – funds that will help with schools, food & nutrition, healthcare, housing, roads, senior services and programs, services for the disabled and for children, local transportation and more. There is “No Do Over” until 2030.
From now until October 31, 2020, many of us may be contacted by a representative from the U.S. Census Bureau by phone (house and/or cell) by text message and by email. These methods, in addition to the Census field workers visiting our homes, are designed to get as complete as possible a complete count of ALL residents of Dillon County. So, please be patient and cooperative should you be contacted. Please remember. Use this second chance to get it right the first time. THERE IS NO DO OVER!!!

Responding to 2020 Census survey is easier than ever. You can go online to:
www.my2020census.gov
by phone at:
1-844-330-2020
By mail:
Fill out the paper form. Mail back in the postage -paid envelope.