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Inside Hartford City Hall | By Steve Volkert

February 29, 2020 – Hartford, WI – The month of March and April are major months for federal government business that involves you.  First, around March 17, you will be receiving your 2020 US Census mailer.  This mailer will explain everything you need to know about this decade’s census.  You can then choose to fill out the mailer and send it back or answer the 10 easy questions either online or over the phone.

Census of US

So why is it so important to fill out your census?  Your responses inform where over $675 billion is distributed each year to communities nationwide for clinics, schools, roads, and much more.

Census data gives community leaders vital information to make decisions about building community centers, opening businesses, and planning for the future.

Responding also fulfills your civic duty because it’s mandated by the U.S. Constitution.  The United States has counted its population every 10 years since 1790.

Your responses are used to redraw legislative districts and determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

You should know the information you provide is safe.  Your answers can only be used to produce statistics.  They cannot be used against you by any government agency or court in any way-not by the FBI, not by the CIA, not by the DHS, and not by ICE.

The Census asks simple questions like age, sex, and the number and ages of people in your home, including children.  It will not ask for information like your Social Security numbers, bank or credit card numbers, money or donations, or anything related to political parties.

If you would like more information, visit: 2020Census.GOV

The second big event coming soon is the April 7 Presidential Preference and Spring Primary election.  Along with the Presidential Preference, you will also be voting on the first ever Washington County Executive in which two candidates are running.  The third big vote that day will be for those in District 3 of the City of Hartford as they have the only contested race with two candidates running for Alderperson.

Hartford aldermanic race

There are many other things on the ballot so please make sure you are registered in advance if you haven’t already.  And if you won’t be in Hartford between the poll hours of 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. on April 7, please make sure to get an absentee ballot to vote in advance.

If you want to make sure you are registered, voting information can be found at MyVote.wi.gov or by stopping in at City Hall during normal working hours of 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and stop up at the City Clerks/Administration offices.

Finally, in the first few weeks of March, residential customers of Hartford Utilities will be receiving their individualized Home Energy Reports.

Each one-page (two-sided) bi-fold report compares that customer’s energy use to the average energy used in homes of similar size in Hartford.  The last time we sent this report out was in the spring of 2017, and like last time we pulled electric and water use information from the North Star billing system.

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