NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Newport News and Hampton are joining forces to encourage residents to respond to the 2020 Census.
Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS of Newport News and Mayor Donnie Tuck of Hampton are holding a friendly competition to see which city has the highest number of responses by July 1.
“It’s imperative that all residents, regardless of where they live, respond to the 2020 Census,” said Mayor McKinley L. Price. “For every person who does not respond, localities lose $2,000 per person, per year. Mayor Tuck and I are committed to working together to ensure our cities are completely counted, so we have the funding and resources we need for the next decade.”
Mayor Tuck has offered to give Mayor Price a dozen Hampton crabs if Newport News has a higher response rate on July 1. Mayor Price has offered James River oysters if Newport News comes out on top.
“The more people talk about how Hampton is going to win this competition – I mean, how well the two cities work together on projects like this – the more they are reminded to fill out their forms,” said Mayor Tuck. “People may not think of themselves as residents if they are here temporarily, for the military or college, but they count for the Census.”
The response rates in Hampton and Newport News are lower than anticipated due to COVID-19.
As of May 25, Hampton’s self-response rate is 62.7%, followed closely by Newport News at 60.6%.
The U.S. Census Bureau plans to place staff in the community in late summer to follow-up with residents who have not yet responded.
To complete the 2020 Census,click here.
