Census Workers Begin Door-To-Door Count In Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD (CBS) -- Massachusetts residents who haven't responded to the 2020 U.S. Census yet may be getting a knock on their door soon. Census workers started their door-to-door visits Thursday across much of the state.

The door-knocking has started in Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden, Worcester Norfolk and Middlesex Counties. The on-the-ground effort will come to the rest of Massachusetts in mid-August.

"We need to make sure that every person who lives in Massachusetts is counted and right now, one-third of Massachusetts households have not responded. Those households will soon be visited by census workers," Secretary of State Bill Galvin said in a statement.

Census workers will be wearing masks to prevent spreading the coronavirus, and they'll be wearing official US Census Bureau identification.

Local leaders like Boston Mayor Marty Walsh have urged residents to complete the Census so Massachusetts can get its "fair share" of federal funding, especially at a time when the pandemic has decimated budgets. Massachusetts has lost Congressional seats after the last three censuses.

The 2020 U.S. Census can be completed online at my2020census.gov