Census participation urged
Undercount could cost Shelby County state representation
Memphis-area legislators asked the public to fill out census forms Friday, expressing worry that the region would under-count its population, which could affect the flow of federal dollars to Shelby County and could cost it representation in the statehouse.
State Sen. Raumesh Akbari and state Rep. G.A. Hardaway described filling out the census as among the most important things a citizen can do — up there with registering to vote and voting itself.
The news conference came after a report from advocacy group Civictn that said low census participation in Shelby County could cost the area a statehouse seat.
“I just urge everyone in Shelby County, really across the state, to make sure that we are counting. It’s particularly important for, for really every segment of the population from our white, Black, brown, whatever. It does not matter. You need to be counted. You need to be on record,” Akbari said.
Hardaway, who represents State
House District 93, said that if “Shelby County should lose a Senate district or a House district, then you take the risk of losing your favorite senator or your favorite state representative because districts will be switched out of Shelby County.”
Through Thursday, 60.9% of people in Shelby County had responded to the census, which is behind its 2010 rate of 62.5%.
The deadline to respond is Sept. 30 and those looking to do so can at 2020Census.gov.
In a news release, Civictn noted that it’s possible, given the population growth elsewhere and the possibility of Shelby County residents being undercounted, that Shelby County could lose a state representative seat, dropping it to 13 instead of 14.
Under state law, Tennessee has 99 house seats with roughly equal population, but includes a provision to allow for counties to remain whole and for seats not to cross county lines.