US Census watchers are worried an earlier deadline and potential mail delays could leave some households in the lurch, especially in rural communities

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• US census watchers are worried that some communities in rural and sparse areas could be under-counted because of a new cutoff date for counting paper forms and USPS delivery challenges, NPR reported.
• The Census Bureau says it will only process paper forms that are postmarked by September 30 and arrive at one of the two data processing centers by October 7.
• Twenty percent of respondents, especially those in rural areas use paper forms. 
• Not counting reports could mean that communities could miss out on federal funding and proper political representation for another decade.
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US Census watchers are concerned about the accuracy of census data collected in rural and sparse area of the country after the Census Bureau set a cutoff date for receiving paper forms and the US Postal Service continues to face challenges that could delay deliveries, NPR reported. 

The Census Bureau says it will only process paper forms, which 20% of respondents use, that are postmarked by September 30 and arrive at one of the two data processing centers by October 7. 

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See Also:

• USPS warned 46 states that it can't guarantee that all mail-in-ballots would arrive on time to be counted
• The US Postal Service is weighing higher fees on domestic packages
• Trump has dealt seniors, who represent 23% of registered voters, 2 devastating blows in a matter of days

SEE ALSO: USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy will appear in a public service announcement telling Americans that mail-in voting is safe, countering the false claim Trump has been pushing for years

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