Douglas County and the City of Lawrence are hosting an informational meeting about the 2020 Census from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, in the auditorium of Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. The meeting is open to the public.



Local Census experts will share information about the 2020 Census, including timing, job opportunities and next steps.



Getting an accurate Census count is important to the State of Kansas and Douglas County. Here's why:

• Federal funding - Census numbers are used to determine federal funding for states and have led to the distribution of more than $6 billion in federal funds to Kansas every year. Every Kansan uncounted in the census costs the state of Kansas around $2,000 in federal funding each year.
• Voting districts - Census numbers are used in creating federal, state and local voting districts.
• Infrastructure and emergency services - Government, businesses and other stakeholders use census data in infrastructure planning, emergency preparedness, law enforcement funding, health tracking, disease control and a multitude of other things.

Speakers at the meeting will include Xanthippe Wedel, who works at the Kansas State Data Center at the University of Kansas and is on the Kansas Complete Count Committee, and Frankie Foster-Davis, who works in recruitment for the 2020 Census. There will be a question-and-answer session following the presentation.



More information on the 2020 Census is available: dgcoks.gov/depts/administration/census-2020