PORT ANGELES – 2020 is a census year in the US, and beginning this week folks should begin receiving mail from the Census Bureau that will explain how it’s going to work.

County Commissioner Mark Ozias, who’s heading up the Complete Count Committee here in Clallam County, says this year we can respond to the census by mail, telephone or via the likely most popular means, online.

“The online portal, as it’s called, assuming it all rolls out as anticipated, should be open by the end of this week. So once you get your information in the mail, then please go ahead and follow the instructions and get yourself signed up.”

Census Day is officially this coming April 1st, which will mobilize paid volunteers in our county to hit the streets, visiting campuses, nursing homes and other facilities to encourage participation and assist anyone who needs help filling out their form.

“For people who who don’t respond either online or by mail or by phone, there will be a follow-up mailing that comes out sometime in late April. So that will be one last reminder to ‘hey, please fill out the census’. And then finally, between May and July, we’ll actually have census workers on the ground to try and get those last few households that may not have responded yet.”

Ozias says that, for most people, the census should take under 10 minutes to fill out. Not a lot of time considering we only do so once every ten years.

For the record, the Census Bureau announced recently that, 10 years ago, Clallam County had the highest self-response rate in the state, before census takers were sent door-to-door.

Ozias says volunteers will have a booth at this weekend’s Clallam County Home and Lifestyle Show to answer questions.