ASA President-Elect Santos Makes Statement on Another Political Appointment to Census

In reaction to the September 30 news of another political appointment to the US Census Bureau, American Statistical Association President-elect Robert Santos released the following statement:

The continued, sudden insertion of yet another political appointee into the senior ranks of the US Census Bureau generates grave concerns. The 2020 Census continues to endure operational threats from COVID-19, wildfires, and extreme weather. The nation is best served by securing and effectively using additional time for US Census Bureau career staff to implement the decennial census as accurately, completely, and fairly as possible. The ASA has called for the removal of the three previous political appointees. We urge Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham to explain the rationale for creating this senior position and assure the public that the appointees will not disrupt in any way the objective, scientific work of the bureau’s career employees.

The ASA’s previous statements regarding the 2020 decennial census are summarized in the September 1, 2020, statement on the creation and appointment of a deputy director of data at the US Census Bureau.