Dodge City Commissioner to Co-Chair Census Committee

Gov. Laura Kelly is creating an advisory committee that aims to ensure every person in Kansas is counted in the 2020 Census.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the governor signed an executive order Tuesday that charged the committee with sparking public engagement in Kansas ahead of the official count.

The Census dictates the amount of federal funding for 55 federal programs in Kansas. It also determines the number of U.S. House members representing the state and the redrawing of boundaries for Kansas legislative districts.

Kelly appointed Brian McClendon, a University of Kansas professor and former executive at Google, to co-chair the committee along with Dodge City Commissioner Joyce Warshaw.

Kansas stands to lose about $1,539 in federal funds annually for 10 years for every person not counted in the Census.