Written by Hudson Crozier
The U.S. Census Bureau admitted errors in its 2020 report, distorting the populations of 14 states in ways that will affect political representation and federal funding throughout the decade.
What happened: The U.S. Census Bureau examined its 2020 reporting and found that it had over-counted the populations of eight states and under-counted six others. Now, the federal government is stuck with using the faulty data until the next census in 2030.
The mistakes benefited blue states: All but one of the over-counted states were Democrat, and all but one of the under-counted states were Republican.
What the faulty data affects:
- Funding: Federal funding is distributed based on census data. Over-counted states will receive more than they are entitled to while under-counted states will receive less.
- Voter representation: Voter representation will also be disproportionate, including in Congress and the Electoral College. Several states wrongfully gained seats in Congress or were deprived of them based on the faulty census count.
How did it happen? The bureau listed a few circumstances that could have affected the gathering of its data, such as the onset of the pandemic. Many in the media are unsatisfied with the explanations in light of the sheer size of the errors, demanding a congressional investigation.