Southeast Ohio leaders urge residents to fill out the 2020 Census

The Mayors’ Partnership for Progress, a coalition of mayors and city managers from 18 southeast Ohio counties, representing nearly 120 communities and a population of almost 800,000, recently held a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse with Representative Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and Ohio Development Services Agency Director Lydia Mihalik. 

They discussed the upcoming 2020 Census and its impact the result will have on the region. For the first time, the Census will be relying heavily on the internet to gather responses. Regional stakeholders urged residents to complete the questionnaire. 

“The Census in southeast Ohio has high rewards for southeast Ohio,” said Athens Mayor Steve Patterson. “However, it also poses particular challenges, and we want to encourage participation across the entire district. Through partnership with our libraries, colleges, local businesses, foodbanks, and county offices, including Job and Family Services, we want to ensure that all our residents know how vital their participation is to our communities and how they can participate.”

Based on data gathered from the Census, more than $1.5 trillion is distributed to states and local governments for SNAP, schools, Medicaid, road construction and more. 

The mayors’ press conference can be viewed on the Ohio Mayors Alliance Facebook page.

The Mayors' Partnership for Progress is supported by Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs through funding from the state legislature's Appalachian New Economy Partnership.