On Tuesday, the Montana Department of Commerce announced the state is spending roughly $500,000 of federal coronavirus relief money to boost 2020 Census outreach.
Montanans self-response rate is just over 56%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s behind the national average. State officials said Montanan’s Census response is complicated in part by the rural nature of the state
The commerce department will spend just over $530,000 on its new outreach effort. The state is partnering with the Montana Nonprofit Association, Western Native Voice and Forward Montana.
The U.S. Census Bureau is ending it’s counting efforts for the 2020 census on September 30, according to NPR, a month earlier than previously announced.
The Census data determines the amount of federal funding coming into the state, and the number of seats Montana has in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A virtual panel meeting in the state capitol Tuesday will discuss how Census results will impact the redrawing of Montana’s legislative districts.
