The count of Virginia’s population this year during the Census is likely to be clouded because of the pandemic.
College towns like Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Blacksburg are likely to take a hit during this year’s Census, says Spencer Shanholtz at the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
“Most colleges went online, and those students — many of them — went back to their home communities," he explains. "And therefore they were not necessarily counted where they would normally have been on April 1st.”
College students aren’t the only people at risk of being undercounted. Maya Castillo at New Virginia Majority says African-American and Hispanic neighborhoods are also likely to be distrustful of people walking around with badges and clipboards.
“For a lot of different reasons, people don’t necessarily trust the government," says Castillo. "Official paperwork may go unanswered. People aren’t exactly excited to get a knock on their door from someone with an official government badge.”
The pandemic Census is likely to have long-lasting implications. Rural communities with hard-to-reach populations and less internet access might lose out on federal funding. And college towns that don’t have students this year might lose clout when new districts are drawn for the House of Delegates and the state Senate.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
