COLONY, Ala. – Colony’s rates of response to the 2020 Census have been among the lowest in Cullman County, and the town’s government wants to do something about it. At a town council work session last Tuesday, Mayor Donnis Leeth announced that he and Councilwoman Ethel Alexander would begin going door to door throughout the community. On Saturday, the two made good on their promise, heading out from town hall in the early afternoon, armed with wireless technology that allowed them to go beyond promotion of the census to on-the-spot enrollment for any resident who wished to participate.
Leeth told The Tribune, “This is a big opportunity to show people that here’s an official person in office who can get out there and help your community do different stuff. That’s what we’re all about: about getting stuff done for the community.”
The mayor said he has encountered residents who are concerned about handing over too much information to the government, saying, “A lot of them think they’re going to take their land, or they’re going to see how much money they make and all that stuff, and then take them off different programs and stuff; which I told them that’s not true. The census is here to help you, because the money they get, that’s how you get some of your money from Social Security and SSI and education . . . All states, you know, get part of the money for different stuff: hospitals get part of the money, for everything. It ain’t about taking no stuff from nobody; it’s to help people.”
Current response rates
Census response rates, as of Saturday afternoon, reported on the website 2020census.gov:
- Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . 6%
- Cullman County . . . . . . . 59.9%
Municipalities ranked by rate
- Fairview . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65.1%
- Good Hope………………… 64.6%
- Cullman . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63.6%
- West Point . . . . . . . . . . . 63.5%
- Dodge City . . . . . . . . . . . 59.2%
- Hanceville . . . . . . . . . . . 57.3%
- Baileyton . . . . . . . . . . . . 57.1%
- Holly Pond . . . . . . . . . . . 56.3%
- Berlin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.4%
- Colony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.4%
- South Vinemont . . . . . . 47.1%
- Garden City . . . . . . . . . . 27.1%
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