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Proposed Census Rules Would Change How Kansans are Counted

All eyes are on the midterm elections right now -- and that's what they're counting on.

The U.S. Census Bureau has proposed changes to how the 2030 census will count people in our communities. If allowed, this would result in an undercount of Kansas residents and an incomplete data set that our state relies on to understand who lives here, ensure resources and funding are allocated fairly, and of course, draw our maps during the next redistricting cycle.

These proposed changes would:

- Ban currently required demographic questions on race and ethnicity;
- Prevent future collection of questions on sexual orientation;
- Change how a person's residence is identified so that Kansans who are incarcerated, homeless, in foster care, seasonal workers, college students, and more are not counted in the right location;
- Exclude non-citizen U.S. residents, including visa-holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and others from the count completely.

The good news is that we have the opportunity to tell the Census Bureau just how much we oppose these changes! Public comment is open so that we can give feedback on how these important changes affect us, but only until Nov 2.

Yes, you read that right. A critical part of the process of enacting rules that will affect all of us will close one day before a massive election. Why? So that we won't notice and take the time to provide comment.

KS Fair Maps is sounding the alarm and needs your help. We need you to speak up to ensure a fair, complete, and accurate census count!

Please learn more about the proposed census changes and then use the template below (or find a longer template with more information here) and submit your comment today.

Thank you for standing up for fair maps and fair representation in Kansas -- which begins with the 2030 U.S. Census.

In solidarity,

KS Fair Maps

PUBLIC COMMENT TEMPLATE (Copy, update, then submit your comment here!):

My name is [NAME] and I am a Kansas resident. I strongly oppose the proposed rule under Docket No. 260903-0005, Document 2026-18481.

The decennial census provides the information necessary to plan for schools, roads, and hospitals; monitor public health; understand employment patterns and economic opportunity. Census data determine the allocation of $2.8 trillion in federal funding.

The constitution mandates that the census count all people residing in the United States, regardless of immigration status, as it has done since the first decennial census in 1790. The proposed rule would mean there would no longer be a complete and accurate count of our population. This would hurt me because:

My community [LOCATION] would receive less federal funding and would be unable to adequately plan for [schools, hospitals, health care, disaster planning, grow economy appropriately, etc.]

I strongly oppose this proposed rule and encourage the Census Bureau to withdraw the proposal. Additionally, the Census Bureau should extend this public comment period by at least 60 days to allow more time for public input given the scope and importance of the proposed changes.

The KS Fair Maps Coalition is a nonpartisan grassroots education and engagement effort by organizations and individuals who want to see an equitable redistricting process that:

is accessible to all Kansans and allows for meaningful participation regardless of location, ability, language, etc
is free of partisan tactics and bias
results in districts of equal population based on constitution, law, and communities of interest.

Nonpartisan member organizations include:

ACLU of Kansas
Equality Kansas
Kansas Appleseed
Kansas Black Leadership Council
Kansas Interfaith Action (KIFA)
Kansas Farmers Union
KS Latino Community Network
Leading Kansas
League of Women Voters of Kansas
League of Women Voters of Topeka-Shawnee County
Loud Light and Loud Light Civic Action
Mainstream Civic Engagement
Planned Parenthood Great Plains
Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County