Pennsylvania puts $4 million into effort to aid census count

Gov. Wolf has said Pennsylvania would lose almost $2,100 a year in federal aid for each person who isn't counted.

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(Harrisburg) — A just-signed law designed to modernize Pennsylvania’s election laws and help pay for new voting machines also includes money for the state to bolster federal census efforts.

Legislation signed Thursday by Gov. Tom Wolf authorizes up to $4 million to help ensure a complete and accurate 2020 census count in Pennsylvania.

The government takes a headcount every 10 years to allocate seats in Congress and billions in federal dollars for such things as transportation projects and education.

Wolf’s office says Pennsylvania would lose almost $2,100 a year in federal aid for each person who isn’t counted, and some states are devoting money to the cause.

A commission tapped by Wolf had asked the Republican-controlled Legislature for $1 per person to aid census outreach, or close to $13 million.