MONTPELIER, Vt. (NEWS10) — Bipartisan governors from Vermont, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, and New York have signed onto a letter calling for the original deadline to be restored for the 2020 Census.

The letter is addressed to the Department of Commerce and the Census Bureau. On August 3, the Census Bureau decided to cut its data collection short by one month, moving up the deadline from October 31 to September 30, 2020.

“The Census determines Vermonters’ access to federal funding, and we won’t get another shot until 2030,” said Vermont’s Gov. Phil Scott. “It is essential that our federal partners honor the original deadline to ensure a complete and accurate count of every Vermont community. And it is very important for Vermonters to be sure they are counted.”

The governors’ letter outlines their skepticism that the census can achieve a strong enough response rate by the new deadline, especially while dealing with unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic. In particular, populations like children, seniors, or individuals in rural areas with poor internet access can be difficult to reach and count.