Democratic States Push to Increase Census Count After Significant Population Decline

Illinois is experiencing an increase in population totals, and California is successfully having its 2020 census figures reviewed, resulting in the addition of misplaced sailors from an aircraft carrier to the right location.

New York City has also recently added 1,090 people to its population total after requesting the Census Bureau to double-check the city’s numbers from the 2020 head count of every U.S. resident.

The census is a crucial tool for determining political power and the distribution of federal funding. Tens of thousands of people are being added to the population totals through the review of 2020 census figures. The Census Bureau has two programs that allow for the request of reviews and adjustments of population totals, and nearly 200 requests were filed by local, state, and tribal governments for the 2020 census.

These changes will only affect future annual population estimates for determining federal funding throughout the decade, and cannot be used to alter the apportionment process for congressional seats or the data used for redrawing political districts.

Here is a closer look at how the reviews for two of the most populous U.S. states, as well as the nation’s largest city, were recently resolved.

For California, the correction did not involve adding people but rather involved putting things in the correct location. For example, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its 5,000+ crew members were relocated to National City rather than San Diego. Additionally, prisoners at Mule Creek State Prison were reallocated to the city of Ione after California requested the change.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that the state was getting an additional 47,000 people to its population total after a review of its census figures. These additions came after the 2020 census failed to count over 40,500 people living in care homes or senior living facilities as well as more than 5,800 college students living in dorms. Especially challenging were campuses closing and lockdowns at the start of the pandemic. The state estimated that the corrections would result in millions of dollars of additional federal funding and help to ensure accurate future counts.

Despite these gains, the review will not fully offset the loss of almost 264,000 residents who have moved from Illinois to other states following the 2020 census.

New York City received an additional 1,090 people in its population total after the Census Bureau approved a review. This adjustment could result in an additional $6.5 million each year in federal funding for the city.