Rock the Vote Responds to Last-minute Addition of Citizenship Question to U.S. Census 2020

Rock the Vote, the national nonpartisan organization dedicated to building the political power of young people raised concerns about the addition of a citizenship question to the upcoming U.S. Census.

“At the very last-minute, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Trump administration have added a citizenship question to the 2020 Census — a question that is untested and raises concerns that immigrant populations, such as Latinos, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, across the country, will be significantly undercounted,” stated Jen Tolentino, Director of Policy and Civic Technology. “We cannot allow our diverse generation of young people, along with their families and communities, to have their political power weakened before they even cast a ballot.

This decision, which goes against the recommendations of six former Census Bureau Directors from both parties, can only be seen as a willful act to undermine the integrity of the 2020 Census and dilute the political power of immigrant communities. The objective of the Census is to accurately account for every individual within our borders and appropriately assign political representation and allocate resources. If immigrants are undercounted, their communities will not receive the resources they need to grow and thrive, and their political power will be curtailed for decades to come.

Our democracy depends on equal representation and fair districts, both of which depend on an accurate Census count. The next generation of voters is the largest and most diverse in our country’s history and they deserve to have their communities accurately counted.”

About Rock the Vote

Rock the Vote is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people. For over 25 years, Rock the Vote has revolutionized the way we use pop culture, music, art and technology to engage young people in politics, registering and turning out millions of young voters on campuses, in communities, and online. Learn more at rockthevote.org and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @rockthevote.