Housing
Where a Census Undercount Will Hurt (or Help) Most
A 2020 Census that favors white and Republican-leaning districts—and undercounts younger, lower income, and black and Hispanic residents—seems ever more likely.
On Wednesday, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts vetoed a bill that would have authorized a Complete Count Committee tasked with preparing the state for the 2020 Census. While the state legislature passed the bill by a veto-proof majority, lawmakers adjourned for this legislative session last Friday.
An undercount in the 2020 Census could cost Nebraska dearly. Every person in Nebraska who fails to be counted over the next decade will cost the Cornhusker State $21,000 in federal funds over the next decade, according to a study from the University of Nebraska. A statewide undercount of one-tenth of one percent (0.1 percent) would cost $400 million.