Hi friends,
Have your say about the rules for the U.S. Census.
Below: Part 1) Choose only the issues important to you; Part 2) Issues explained; and Part 3) How to submit your comment
YOUR CENSUS — YOUR COMMENT
A Quick Guide to the Proposed Census Rules
Docket: USBC-2026-0628
Public comments due: October 13, 2026
The U.S. Census Bureau is proposing new rules governing who is counted for congressional apportionment, how a person’s usual residence is determined, and what demographic questions may be asked on the decennial census.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO COMMENT ON EVERYTHING
Choose only the issues important to you. You can support one proposal, oppose another, or suggest changes.
Sample language is in Part 3.
PART 1 — CHOOSE YOUR ISSUES
Sample comments in Part 3
1. Who Counts for Congressional Apportionment?
Proposed: Count U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (green-card holders). Other foreign citizens would not be counted for apportionment.
2. What About Other People Lawfully Living Here?
Census specifically asks whether some other lawful immigration statuses are sufficiently similar to permanent residency that they should also count for apportionment.
3. How Should “Usual Residence” Be Determined?
Proposed: Generally use where a person lawfully spent the greatest number of days from January 3 through April 1 of the census year. Administrative records may be used as evidence.
4. Should Census Ask Citizenship/Legal Status Directly?
Census is considering putting a legal-status question on the census form and specifically asks for public comment. This has not yet been decided.
5. Using Government and Commercial Records
Census is considering using extensive government records and third-party commercial data to help determine legal status.
6. Race and Ethnicity Questions
Proposed: Do not ask race or ethnicity on questionnaires used for the decennial population count. Census could still collect demographic information through the American Community Survey and other sources.
7. Sexual-Orientation Questions
Proposed: Do not ask sexual-orientation questions on questionnaires used for the decennial population count.
8. Accuracy of the Population Count
Proposed: Prioritize accurate population totals used for apportionment and redistricting, while maintaining Census confidentiality protections.
REMEMBER: You may comment on ONE issue, several issues, or all of them. Explain what you support or oppose and, when possible, WHY.
PART 2 — ISSUES EXPLAINED
1. Congressional Apportionment
The census population determines how the 435 seats in the U.S. House are divided among the states. The proposal would count U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents for apportionment, but not other foreign citizens.
2. Other Lawful Residents
Not everyone legally living in America has a green card. Census specifically requests comments about whether other lawful statuses may be sufficiently similar to lawful permanent residency to count. This could raise questions involving people such as refugees, asylees and other legally present non-U.S. citizens.
Important: Supporting the exclusion of people unlawfully present does not require supporting the exclusion of every lawfully present non-citizen.
3. “Usual Residence”
Census proposes determining usual residence generally by where someone lawfully spent the greatest number of days between January 3 and April 1. Records such as tax returns and W-2s could provide evidence. Commenters may want safeguards for outdated, conflicting or incorrect records.
4. Citizenship/Legal-Status Question
Census has not yet decided to put a legal-status question on the census form. It specifically asks for public input. Options include asking people directly, relying on administrative records, or using both.
5. Government and Commercial Data
Census describes access to extensive administrative records from federal, state, local and tribal governments and third-party commercial sources. Possible concerns include privacy, data accuracy, cybersecurity, correcting errors, data retention and limiting information to census purposes.
6. Race and Ethnicity
The proposal would prohibit these questions on questionnaires used to enumerate the population. It would not prohibit Census from collecting demographic information through the American Community Survey or other non-enumeration surveys and sources. Commenters may want Census to explain how reliable data needed for redistricting and Voting Rights Act purposes would remain available.
7. Sexual Orientation
The proposal would prohibit sexual-orientation questions on questionnaires used for the population count. Questions about biological sex, date of birth and household relationships could still be used to help verify the enumeration.
8. Population Accuracy
Census proposes prioritizing accurate population totals for apportionment and redistricting, subject to federal Census confidentiality requirements. It also proposes restrictions on publishing demographic data when doing so would require introducing uncertainty into national or state population counts.
OTHER RESIDENCE RULES
The proposal also addresses special situations involving military and federal personnel, dependents, Merchant Marine personnel, prisoners and detainees, births and deaths around Census Day, and people staying in transitory locations. You may comment on these provisions, too.
PART 3 — BUILD YOUR COMMENT
You may use or adapt any of these sample statements. Choose only those that reflect your views and add your own reason whenever possible. Comments that are all the same only get counted once. Make your comment personal/individual.
OPENING
I am submitting this comment regarding Docket USBC-2026-0628, the proposed rules concerning residence criteria and demographic questions for the decennial census. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
1. APPORTIONMENT
I support/oppose counting U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, while excluding other foreign citizens from the population used for congressional apportionment because ________________________________.
2. OTHER LAWFUL RESIDENTS
I believe Census should/should not recognize additional lawful immigration statuses for apportionment. Census should clearly distinguish between unlawful presence and people lawfully authorized to reside in the United States.
3. USUAL RESIDENCE
I support/oppose the proposed usual-residence standard. If government records are used, Census should provide safeguards for inaccurate, conflicting or outdated information and a method for correcting errors.
4. LEGAL-STATUS QUESTION
I support/oppose placing an appropriately worded citizenship/legal-status question on the census form because ________________________________.
Sample answer to support LEGAL-STATUS QUESTION
I support placing an appropriately worded citizenship/legal-status question on the census form because only citizens can legally vote, and the apportionment of Congresspersons should be based on that. The Constitution repeatedly describes voting rights as rights of “citizens,” and the 15th Amendment states “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged…” The 19th, 24th and 26th Amendment similarly refer to “Citizens” voting rights.
5. GOVERNMENT AND COMMERCIAL DATA
If Census uses government or commercial databases, strict safeguards should protect privacy, data accuracy and cybersecurity. Collection and use should be limited to information necessary for legitimate census purposes, with procedures for correcting errors.
6. RACE AND ETHNICITY
I support/oppose removing race and ethnicity questions from questionnaires used for the decennial population count because ________________________________.
7. SEXUAL ORIENTATION
I support/oppose prohibiting sexual-orientation questions on questionnaires used for the decennial population count because ________________________________.
8. POPULATION ACCURACY
I support/oppose prioritizing the accuracy of population totals used for congressional apportionment and redistricting because ________________________________.
SAMPLE CLOSING
Thank you for considering my comments. I ask the Census Bureau to carefully consider these issues when developing the final rules and to ensure that the census is conducted under clear, accurate and transparent standards with appropriate protections for individual privacy.
3) HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR COMMENT
Go to Regulations.gov and search:
USBC-2026-0628
It looks like this:
Open the proposed Census rule and click “Comment.” You may enter your comment or attach it as a document.
(This link, Decennial Census of the Population of Americans; Proposed Residence Criteria and Proposed Regulations for Demographic Questions, worked for me, but you may have to do the search per the instructions.)
Deadline: October 13, 2026
Comments generally become part of the public record, so do not include personal information you do not want made public.
Official Rule:
Federal Register, Vol. 91, No. 174, September 10, 2026
91 FR 57524 — Document No. 2026-18481
You have the option to have an email confirmation of submission and tracking number.
As always, do your own research and make up your own mind.
White paper on land and water rights: Property Rights and Freedom: A White Paper on America’s Disappearing Land (8/13/2025)
United we stand. Divided we fall. We must not let America fall.
VoteTexas.gov, https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/index.html
Disclaimer:
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