The decennial US census is upon us and, along with the presidential election, it is the first of two major activities in American democracy in 2020 that will be challenged by a complex media ecosystem. What can we learn about representation and the health of political discourse on social media? And what of the shrinking role of local journalism? This panel discussion will set out the facts and answer these queries and more, covering the varied ways groups have found to inform the public about the census and its importance. This includes the role that local journalism collaborations can play to help inform the public about the impact of the count, and why underserved communities have the greatest need for accurate information.