2020 Census Messaging Research

Chris Kromm December 2018

Messaging Research Overview

Census Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Study – CBAMS!

Color of Change – African-American/Black communities

NALEO – Hispanic/Latnix communities

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAPI communities

Future:

- Arab American

- Native American

- Parents with Young Children

Census Barriers, Attitudes and

Motivators Study

QUESTIONS

- Who intends to respond to census?

- Where do gaps in knowledge persist?

- What barriers would keep people from completing census?

- What would motivate people to complete census?

METHODOLOGY

- Survey – 61 questions, 50,000 people asked, oversampled HTC, 17,500 responded

- Focus Groups – 42 focus groups, 16 non-English

DID NOT LOOK AS MUCH AT

- Specifics of messages that speak to above issues

- Detail about which trusted voices can best carry the message

Understanding about Census

Key Barriers

Top motivators

Understanding about Census

Be specific! Tangible motivators

Implications for trusted voices

Key elements of messaging strategy

METHODOLOGY

- Survey – 802 adults nationally – April 2018

- 6 Focus Groups – Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Montgomery – February 2018

GENERAL FINDINGS

- Generally positive impression of census, especially those 35 and older

- Black millennials least likely to participate

- Top reasons given for not participating: 1) won’t make a difference; 2) government

has other ways of getting info; 3) it’s intrusive.

- Majority say will complete online, those who don’t use internet regularly say they’ll

just stay with paper

- Majority OK with citizenship question, although acknowledge could decrease count

”Ensuring funding for programs in my community” is most persuasive message

across generations.

Funding of specific programs is an important element of messaging – survey

revealed importance of mentioning Medicaid and food stamps.

Deepening understanding of concrete/specific impact on community has most

potential to increase motivation to participate.

Being specific about the impact that the census has on ensuring that communities

get their fair share, both in federal dollars and for specific programs, serves as a

compelling reason to participate in the Census.

Best Messages

Black elected leaders – especially local – and Black organizations are seen as

being able to do the most to encourage participation.

Michelle Obama and Oprah eclipsed all other messengers.

Cable TV and local TV are top news sources, although social media is #1 for

millennials.

Trusted Messengers

METHODOLOGY

- Survey – 1,600 adults nationally – April 2018

- 4 Focus Groups – 2 in North Carolina, 2 in Rio Grande Valley, Texas – May 2018

GENERAL FINDINGS

- Generally positive impression of census, especially those 35 and older

- Hesitation and fear once saw version of questionnaire – citizenship question – lack of

confidence in confidentiality

- 75% preferred paper form, 40% say not comfortable with online, 64% hesitant about

government official coming to house – need to know paper is an option

Any message is better than none at all. All 4 tested messages did better than

doing nothing: 1) “Convenient/Safe/Required,” 2) “Civic/Community Duty”, 3)

“Funding,” 4) “Resistance/Defend Community”

Survey: “Convenient/Safe/Required” performed best

Focus Group: “Funding for local schools and community programs” performed

best.

Immigrants especially responsive to “Convenient/Safe/Required” (75% would

participate)

Women especially responsive to “Civic/Community Duty” (57%)

Latinos under 40 most responsive to message “defend our communities” (40%)

Best Messages

Family Members – especially women in the household.

Nurses, doctors, health providers and Latino organizations also highly trusted.

People who speak for “the children” and “the schools” – such as teachers – were

especially trusted and convincing.

Elected officials among the least trusted.

Spanish-language media a trusted source of information.

Trusted Messengers

Online access is more common with smart phones (85%) compared to computers

(less than half).

Local realities shape perceptions of census. Data hacks, immigration actions.

Children: 11% with children age 17 and younger said they would not count

children. 15% with children 4 and younger said they would not count them.

Other Findings

METHODOLOGY

- Survey – 1,600 adults nationally – citizens and non-citizens, English, Mandarin,

Vietnamese, Korean, Tagalog

- 10 Focus Groups – Chinese (Mandarin), South Asian (Urdu-speaking, Hindi-

speaking), Korean, Southeast Asian (Cambodian, Vietnamese, Hmong), Mixed Asian

Group (English – Chinese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese)

- 24% in South

GENERAL FINDINGS

- Differences in awareness among different Asian groups, and by age.

- All groups concerned about citizenship question, make them less likely to encourage

participation in community. Highest with Indian and Korean populations, slightly

higher among 3rd-generation immigrants. Prefer mail-in option.

- 52% will participate online, but equal number would want to participate by paper.

- Knowing about availability of answering in own language – e.g., 62% of Vietnamese

community most interested in responding online in Vietnamese language

Best Messages

Best Messages

Best Messages

How Communicate

Questions or more infoChris Krommchris@southernstudies.org@chriskromm

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