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Simple English definitions for legal terms
census
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A quick definition of census:
A census is when the government counts all the people who live in a certain place, like a state or a country. They ask questions to find out things like how many people live there, how old they are, and what they do for work. The government uses this information to decide how many people should represent each place in the government and how much money each place should get. They do this every 10 years in the United States.
A more thorough explanation:
A census is an official count of the people living in a specific area, such as a state, nation, or district. It includes details about their characteristics, such as age, gender, race, and ethnicity. The census is used to determine the allocation of seats in the United States House of Representatives, draw boundaries for federal congressional districts and state legislative seats, and distribute federal money to the states.
- Every 10 years, the United States conducts a census to count the number of people living in the country and gather information about them.
- State governments may also conduct their own census to gather more detailed information about their population.
- The information gathered from the census is used to determine how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. For example, if a state's population has grown, it may receive more seats in the House.
- The census is also used to distribute federal money to the states. For example, if a state has a larger population, it may receive more money for programs like Medicaid or education.
These examples illustrate how a census is used to gather important information about a population and how that information is used to make decisions about representation and funding.