Summary

King County is investing $50,000 for a strategic push in the final weeks of the 2020 Census to ensure a fair count of all King County residents, and help boost return rates in SeaTac and Tukwila.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine and King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove today announced a strategic investment of $50,000 to community-based organizations that will help boost participation of south King County residents in the 2020 Census.

The funds are targeted to areas of the County where self-response rates are yet to reach their 2010 Census Self-Response Rates. The following organizations received $10,000 to conduct outreach and engagement efforts in order to increase the region’s participation rates:

• Somali Health Board
• Entre Hermanos
• Refugee Women’s Alliance
• Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle
• Coalition of Immigrants, Refugees & Communities of Color (CIRCC)

"Every community must be fairly and fully counted so that all King County residents receive their fair share of funding and political representation based on the Census," said Executive Constantine. "With these investments in our community partners, we seek to ensure that areas of our county that have yet to reach their 2010 self-response rates can be counted, and I want to thank Councilmember Upthegrove for championing these additional funds and the entire County Council for their support."

As of September 20, the self-response rates for South King County are promising, with the cities of Tukwila, Federal Way, Auburn, Kent, Burien and Renton surpassing their 2010 rates. The community-based strategic investments will help promote participation in SeaTac and throughout south King County to ensure a fair and accurate count of all county residents.

"I’m pleased to announce this investment in South King County alongside the leadership of our King County Executive Dow Constantine and our King County Council," said Councilmember Upthegrove. "All residents should have a voice and all residents need to be counted. The 2020 Census is critical to ensuring your voice is heard and your presence is counted. There is no more important time to participate."

Relevant links

• 2020 Census - Everyone Counts

Quotes

Every community must be fairly and fully counted so that all King County residents receive their fair share of funding and political representation based on the Census. With these investments in our community partners, we seek to ensure that areas of our county that have yet to reach their 2010 self-response rates can be counted, and I want to thank Councilmember Upthegrove for championing these additional funds and the entire County Council for their support.

I’m pleased to announce this investment in South King County alongside the leadership of our King County Executive Dow Constantine and our King County Council. All residents should have a voice and all residents need to be counted. The 2020 Census is critical to ensuring your voice is heard and your presence is counted. There is no more important time to participate.

For more information, contact:

Chase Gallagher, Executive Office, 206-263-8537