As recently as last summer, Rhode Island appeared all but certain to lose one of its two U.S. House seats.
For years, the state had been projected to lose one of those seats due to its seemingly stagnant population. Then COVID-19 limited a statewide community awareness campaign designed to highlight the particular importance of the 2020 census count in the Ocean State.
But community groups committed to ensuring an accurate count did not give up trying to track down undercounted residents. That’s because federal funding for roads, bridges, education and other services is tied to population data.
On April 26, the U.S. Census Bureau delivered the surprising news: Not only had the state’s population grown since 2010 by nearly 45,000, or 4.3%, but the gain was enough to preserve both House seats.
“Today is a prime example why community advocacy matters,” said R.I. Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea.
Indeed, her office and a host of community groups are to be applauded for tackling a daunting challenge amid a raging pandemic.