The 2020 Census: It's a BIG Deal.

• Author: Potyondy, Patrick R.
• Position: TRENDS

April 1, 2020, is Census Day. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census is the single largest undertaking of the civilian government. And, like previous ones, the upcoming decennial survey faces several hurdles. The latest was a last-minute request by the U.S. Justice Department to add a question on the citizenship status of respondents to "allow the department to protect the right to vote and ensure free and fair elections," the department said in a statement.

When the Census Bureau decided to include the question on March 26, it created a hurricane of controversy and uncertainty. Why all the uproar? Opponents worried that immigrants and their family members, documented or otherwise, would be afraid to complete and return the questionnaire, leading to an undercount.

Hours after the decision to include the question, California's attorney general filed a lawsuit to block it. The next day, officials from New York and New Jersey announced plans to lead or participate in a multistate suit against it as well, and by April 3, the number of states had grown to 17. At press time, the future of the question was unknown since Congress has the final say.

The stakes are high, both politically and economically, for states to get an accurate count of their residents. Census data are used in congressional reapportionment (determining how many U.S. representatives each state will get) and in redistricting (how political districts will be drawn) at all levels of government. Funding of more than $600 billion from the 16 largest federal agencies is distributed to states based on census figures.

In addition, businesses and nonprofits rely heavily on census data to plan and conduct their work. Business interests such as the National Association of Realtors and think tanks as politically divergent as the American...