You may have a census, but it’s not the 2020 US census

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THIRD PARTIES. IF THEIR SELECTION WAS TARGETED OR RANDOM. AND IF THIS CAN COMPROMISE THE UPCOMING FEDERAL CENSU WEEKS BEFORE THE 2020 CENSUS IS MAILED TO HOMES, IN CENSUS ARRIVING AT SOME DOORS - ANOTHER CENSUS ARRIVING AT SOME DOORS. SPECIAL NOTICE, YOU HAVE BEE SELECTED TO REPRESENT VOTERS. WE GAVE A FEW PEOPLE A FIRST LOOK TO GET THEIR INITIAL IMPRESSIONS. >> A CENSUS OF THAT? NO. SOMEWHERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SENDER RIGHT AWAY. EXIT GOES REPUBLICAN. >> IT LOOKS LIKE FEELER. LOOKING OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY BE WANTING TO VOTE FOR TRUMP. >> THE U.S. CENSUS. IT I CLEARLY A REPUBLICAN PARTY SURVEY. FOR THEIR POLITICAL MEANS. >> IT IS CLEAR IT IS FROM THE GOP. THE QUESTIONS ARE POLITICAL. YO SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP? HOUS SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI’S PERFORMANCE. THE LEVEL OF CONCERN REGARDING RUSSIA, CHINA, AND IRAN. >> IT IS A LITTLE DECEPTIVE INITIALLY. CLEAR AFTER YOU START READING AND. >> THE LAST PART, READING IT, IS CRUCIAL BUT FAR FROM GUARANTEED. >> THEY SHOULD READ IT. UNFORTUNATEL PEOPLE DON’T READ. I WENT, GOODNESS, WHAT IS THIS? WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL GIVEN SUSPICION ABOUT ANYTHING TO PUT TRUTHFULNESS OUT. BOTH PARTIES HAVE TO DO IT. >> CONCE THE CENSUS WILL COMPROMISE THE ACTUAL CENSUS WHICH IS WEEKS AWAY. >> IF I WERE THE SECRETARY OF STATE, I WOULD WORRY ABOUT IT. PEOPLE W HAVE FILLED IT OUT WILL THINK THEY HAVE ALREA DONE IT WILL THROW IT AWAY

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A census is being mailed out to residents in California. However, it’s not the 2020 U.S. Census, which determines federal funding to the state. The 2020 Congressional District Census is commissioned by the Republican Party. For some, it takes a couple glances to know the difference. “Oh, that’s interesting ‘Commissioned by the Republican Party’-- so, it’s actually not a census,” resident Todd Thompson said. “(I thought it was) the U.S. Census. It is a little deceptive initially, but clear after you start reading it.”The GOP-backed census becomes clear with a close look. The questions are political, ranging from President Trump’s approval, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s performance, concern over Chinese, Iranian or Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election. It ends by asking for a donation to the RNC. It's important to know the U.S. Census Bureau will not ask for money.“I got it in our district,” said Barbara O’Connor, a Sacramento State emeritus professor of communications and director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media. “I looked at it and went ‘Holy goodness, what is this?’ Because we all need to be very careful, given people’s suspicion about anything, to put truthfulness out,” O’Connor added. “Both parties have to do that.”The concern is that some people may mistake it for the 2020 U.S. Census. “Will this hurt the Census? If I were the secretary of state, I’d worry about that,” O’Connor said. “Because people who do fill it out, people will think they’ve already done it and throw it away. The person who does fill it out, thinks they’re doing their civic duty to bring federal funds to California, and they’re not, basically.”It’s unclear if the party census was targeted or random. The California Republican Party declined an interview and deferred us to its national branch. KCRA3 was still waiting for a response as of Thursday. On Friday, a RNC spokesperson replied via email, "Mailers are clearly marked that they are from the Republican National Committee."The nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause, founded by a Republican, says Congress actually passed laws to prevent these types of party census distributions because of the confusion they can create.However, some are now skirting the lines to make the process legal, Keshia Morris Desir with the nonprofit advocacy group said.Desir adds historically, both Democrats and Republicans have sent out similar censuses. A complaint can be filed to the Federal Election Commission.