2020 Census overcounted Ohio’s population

Ohio is used to having an outsized nationwide affect, however the U.S. Census Bureau took issues just a little too far.

Driving the information: The 2020 census reported 11.8 million Ohioans, overcounting the state’s inhabitants by round 175,000 residents, in line with a follow-up survey launched final week.

Why it issues: Each 10 years, census information divvies up the nation’s 435 congressional seats and helps the federal authorities distribute funds for infrastructure wants together with social security internet applications just like the Particular Supplemental Diet Program for Girls, Infants and Youngsters (WIC) and Meals on Wheels.

What occurred: In the middle of tallying up greater than 300 million Individuals, some persons are unintentionally counted twice or wrongly included, equivalent to these born after April 1, 2020.

• The report notes “many challenges, equivalent to conducting fieldwork through the COVID-19 pandemic,” as a probable trigger.

Sure, however: This counting error seemingly did not impression the variety of seats Ohio has in D.C. for the subsequent decade.

• Regardless of the overcount, we nonetheless misplaced a seat within the redistricting course of — going from 16 to fifteen.

Our take: Look, it is comprehensible that the federal government needs there have been extra Ohioans. We’re fairly superior.

• Ohio continues to be anticipated to get its fair proportion of congressional seats and federal grant funding, and that is what issues most.