The New York State Complete Count Commission has announced six public hearings across the state to gain public input and hear from Census experts and advocates, beginning March 4 in Rochester.

The Complete Count Commission, appointed last month, is tasked with building upon the sweeping efforts already underway to prepare for next year’s federal Census. With these meetings, the Commission is undertaking a multi-year, collaborative strategy involving all state agencies, local and county governments, non-profits and local stakeholders across the state.

Commission Co-Chair and Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, “These events will guide our Commission’s work as we identify the best ways to ensure that every New Yorker is counted. My colleagues and I are looking forward to hearing from communities across the state on how we can continue to work together and ensure we are all included.”

Commission Co-Chair and President of the Rockefeller Institute of Government Jim Malatras said, “Our Commission is committed to finding all New Yorkers and getting them to participate in this crucial part of our democracy. This is important work that impacts residents in New York State and we look forward to hearing more ideas on how we can get everyone counted.”

The three-year Commission is charged with informing and helping direct the State's efforts in the Census, including:

• Continuing to employ a dynamic, real-time approach to engage New Yorkers to participate in the Census
• Identifying strategies to reach hard-to-count populations, including children under five years of age, people who live in dense urban settings and in very rural locations, immigrants, people of color and people who live in poverty.
• Analyzing previous Census undercounts and recommend ways to ensure a full and complete count for the 2020 Census

Each meeting of the Commission will be open to the public and webcast. The events will feature detailed presentations to the Commission by various entities involved in the census, as well as testimony from advocates, and the general public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Specific details for public participation in the public comment portion of the events will be forthcoming.

The hearings scheduled are:

Monday, March 4, 2 p.m.

Rochester City Council Chambers

30 Church St.

Rochester, NY 14614

Monday, March 11, 6 p.m.

Hostos Community College

500 Grand Concourse

Bronx, NY 10451

Wednesday, March 20, 7 p.m.

SUNY Sullivan

112 College Road

Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759

Friday, April 12, 3 p.m.

Suffolk County Legislature - William J. Lindsay County Complex - William H. Rogers Building

725 Veterans Memorial Highway

Smithtown, NY 11787

Friday, April 26, 10 a.m.

Mohawk Valley Community College - Utica

1101 Sherman Dr

Utica, NY 13501

Monday, May 6, 6 p.m.

Rockefeller Institute of Government

411 State St

Albany, NY 12203

Additional hearings may be scheduled at a later date.

In addition to the above hearings, members of the Commission will meet with stakeholders across the state to augment efforts.

For more information about the Complete Count Commission and New York’s efforts to ensure a full count in 2020, please visit https://www.ny.gov/programs/2020-census.