Delegates to the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation voted June 10 to partner with the U.S. Census Bureau to help ensure a complete count of all Minnesotans during the coming 2010 U.S. Census.

Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation president Bill McCarthy named Dough Flateau to chair a "Complete Count Committee" to coordinate the federation's work with the Census.  Flateau is director of Working Partnerships, the MRLF's affiliated nonprofit.

Ensuring a complete count of Minnesotans in the Census is important because federal and state funding for a broad range of programs is allocated to states and communities based on Census data.

In addition, McCarthy noted, the Census also helps determine the number of seats in the U.S. House allocated to each state.  Minnesota is at risk of losing a Congressional seat because of population gains elsewhere in the nation.  A full and complete count of all Minnesota residents, however, could help the state keep its current eight U.S. house seats.

McCarthy said he would appoint additional members to the MRLF's Complete Count Committee to help coordinate promoting awareness of the Census.