*Missouri Governor Michael L. Parson*

Office of Communications

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*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

April 1, 2020

*Participating in the 2020 Complete Count Census is More Important Than Ever*

*(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) *April 1stis Census Day.These are challenging times, and while taking part in the 2020 Census may not currently be at the top of your list, responses to the 2020 Census are more important than ever.



The emergency funding Missouri is receiving for the COVID-19 pandemic is allotted to the state based on census population data. In order to be adequately funded, Missouri must first be adequately counted.



Missourians are responding at a higher rate than the rest of the country. To date, 40.5 percent of Missouri households have responded to the census, compared to a national response rate of 38.4 percent, but the state can do even better.



Nearly every day, people in Missouri ask me what they can do to assist during this COVID-19 crisis, said *Governor Mike Parson*. One of the easiest things people can do to help is to make sure they respond to the 2020 Census.



This year, the 2020 Census website, My2020Census.gov [ [link removed] ], offers those participating in the census the opportunity to respond online. Missourians who do not wish to respond online can respond by phone. The Census Bureau will send a mail-in form to those who fail to respond by internet or phone.



Its really easy to respond, *Governor Parson* said. We really need the City of St. Louis and our rural counties to show up by any means possible: internet, phone, or mail.



Currently, the top 10 Missouri counties responding to the 2020 Complete Count Census and their overall response rates are:



St. Charles County



48.8%



Barton County



46.4%



St. Louis County



45.4%



Christian County



44.6%



Livingston County



44.3%



Perry County



43.3%



Cole County



42.9%



Webster County



42.9%



Marion County



42.8%



Ray County



42.5%



For more information about the Missouri 2020 Complete Count Census or to respond online, visit:[link removed]

For an online interactive map of state-by-state census response rates, visit: [link removed] [ [link removed]? ]

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*Contact: Kelli R. Jones*

Communications Director

Work: 573-751-0765

Mobile: 573-508-9072

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.governor.mo.gov


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This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Office of Governor Michael L. Parson PO Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 751-3222 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]