With new congressional districts being drawn up and federal funds being allocated, following the 2020 census, the census bureau is now reporting that six states, including Florida, were undercounted.
Florida had an estimated 3.48 percent undercount, the fourth-highest rate in the country behind Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi.
The Census Bureau has taken a closer look at household surveys and found that six states, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee, had statistically significant undercounts of their populations.
Today we released more results from the 2020 Post-Enumeration Survey, showing population undercounts and overcounts by state and D.C.
Visit #AmericaCounts to find Q&A on the state and national results, including insight on specific census operations: https://t.co/ZzP7DDrgzP pic.twitter.com/jFSf031ObX
— U.S. Census Bureau (@uscensusbureau) May 19, 2022
Florida lawmakers just held a special session to deal with redistricting and adding a congressional seat.
In an undercount, some people aren’t counted at all. And it’s not just a handful of people who are miscounted. In 2010, the census missed an estimated 16 million people. That’s nearly 5% of the population. Although that might seem like a small percentage, it has big consequences for undercounted communities.
The Census Bureau, itself, acknowledges the under-count, blaming politics and the pandemic.
In a post-count analysis of household surveys, the bureau has found that 559,593 Texas residents were left off the rolls, partly because of under-funded outreach programs that other states had in place.
But there will be no redo’s for the Census Bureau; the next official count won’t come until 2030.