The City of Columbus and Franklin County announced the Complete Count Committee and rolled out the 2020 Census Action Plan.
“The 2020 Census is the responsibility of the federal government, but it relies on states, counties and municipalities like Columbus and Franklin County to ensure each and every resident is counted,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “It is imperative that the continued growth of our region be accurately represented.”
In the summer of 2018, Mayor Ginther established a working group to plan and prepare for the census with representatives from the City Attorney’s office, Franklin County and City Council. They identified hard-to-reach communities including ethnic and racial minorities, senior citizens, young people, individuals experiencing homelessness and residents who do not speak English as a first language.
Mayor Ginther and County Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce will co-chair the Columbus/Franklin County Complete Count Committee to lead the community’s census-related outreach and engagement efforts.
“We can lose a lot if the census doesn’t capture an accurate representation of everyone who lives in Franklin County,” said Commissioner Boyce. “Every resident in our community counts, so we must make sure that every resident is counted.”
The number of seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives is determined by the census. Roughly $675 billion in annual federal spending is distributed to state and local governments based on census data to pay for programs such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and special education grants.
"Federal funds create jobs, housing, and helps this community invest in ourselves," said Council President Shannon Hardin. "In order to get these funds, we need an accurate count. That's what the Columbus Complete Count Committee aims to do."
For more information about the census and the Columbus/Franklin County Complete Count Committee, visit
https://www.columbus.gov/columbuscounts.