2020 Census Tribal Consultations 

with Oklahoma Tribes

FINAL REPORT

Issued Summer 2017

TM
Acknowledgements

Our gratitude is extended to the tribal delegates and other tribal 

participants who attended the 2020 Census tribal consultation 

meetings and whose input is contained in this report. We also 

appreciate the support and advice of the Census National Advisory 

Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native populations, and 

the partnership of the Osage Nation and Citizen Potawatomi Nation 

in coordinating and promoting attendance at the Oklahoma tribal 

consultations.

Census Bureau executive leadership who attended the tribal 

consultations included Tim Olson, Associate Director for Field 

Operations, and Deirdre Bishop, Division Chief for the Geography 

Division. Census Bureau Denver Regional Director Cathy Lacy and 

Denver Regional staff also participated in the tribal consultations.

The following Census Bureau headquarters staff delivered short 

presentations at the meetings: Dee Alexander, Office of Congressional 

and Intergovernmental Affairs; Hyon B. Shin, Population Division; 

and Deirdre Bishop, Vince Osier, and Laura Waggoner, Geography 

Division.

Dee Alexander (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma), 

Tribal Affairs Coordinator, had primary responsibility for the tribal 

consultations and the final report.

Special thanks to Office of Intergovernmental Affairs staff Van 

Lawrence, Bina Kawe Saafi, Melissa Bruce and Akenabah Begay for 

their support and help with the tribal consultation meetings.

Kauffman & Associates, Inc., (KAI) an American Indian-owned firm, 

was contracted to provide logistical support for the 2020 Census 

tribal consultations and develop the final reports. Jennifer Gillissen, 

Vice President of Meeting and Event Planning for KAI, served as the 

moderator for the tribal consultation in Shawnee, OK.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The 2020 Census Tribal Consultation Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

2020 Tribal Consultations with Oklahoma Tribes . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Contractor Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Background Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Meeting Agenda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Tribal Consultation Participants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Tribal Consultation Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Oklahoma Tribal Geography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Overarching Themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Enumeration Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Effects of Census Data on Tribes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Follow-Up Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Completed Follow-Up Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Next Steps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Appendix A: Meeting Notes from the 2020 Census Tribal

Consultation in Skiatook, OK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Attendees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Other Attendees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Introductory Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Presentations, Discussion, and Testimony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Closing Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Action Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Appendix B: Meeting Notes from the 2020 Census Tribal 

Consultation in Shawnee, OK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Attendees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Introductory Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Presentations, Discussion, and Testimony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Closing Remarks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

One-on-One Discussions: Census Bureau Geography 

Staff and Tribal Delegates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Action Items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
TM

Final Report
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report • 1

Executive Summary

In recognition of the importance of engaging with tribal nations when designing the 2020 

Census, the Census Bureau conducted a series of tribal consultations. To ensure an 

accurate count of all American Indians and Alaska Natives in the 2020 Census, the Census 

Bureau held two tribal consultations specifically for Oklahoma tribes to discuss the unique 

way their tribal lands are mapped and how this affects the data produced. The objectives of 

the tribal consultation meetings with Oklahoma tribes included:

u encouraging open communication between the Census Bureau and tribes,

u gathering tribal input on how to map Oklahoma tribal lands,

u recording and addressing outcomes and recommendations, and

u providing information on and answering questions about Census Bureau programs 

and the 2020 Census.

The meeting agenda focused on tribal geography, a tribal consultation topic from the 2020 

Census Tribal Consultation Handbook of particular relevance to Oklahoma tribes due to 

their unique geographic designations.

This report summarizes input on this topic gathered from tribal representatives. Next, the 

report explores two overarching themes that surfaced repeatedly during the consultation. 

These topics include:

u the implications of census data on tribal programs and planning and

u tribal recommendations for enumerating tribal citizens in Oklahoma.

This report concludes by outlining next steps identified during the tribal consultations 

with Oklahoma tribes. For reference, the notes from each consultation are included as 

appendices.
2 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

The 2020 Census Tribal Consultation 

Process

In the context of the government-to-government relationship between the federal 

government and tribal nations, tribal consultation emphasizes meaningful dialogue around 

upcoming decisions, policies, or actions that may impact tribes. To ensure an accurate 

count of tribal citizens in the 2020 Census, tribal input must be incorporated in the design 

of the census and must shape the way the census is conducted on tribal lands. 

Tribal consultation regarding the upcoming 2020 Census helps to:

u involve tribes in decision-making,

u provide tribal governments with an open forum for raising issues or concerns,

u enhance communication between the Census Bureau and tribal leadership,

u strengthen partnerships between the Census Bureau and tribes, and

u identify action items and issues that need further exploration or input.

Under the 2020 American Indian and Alaska Native Program (AIAN Program), and guided 

by the Census Bureau’s tribal consultation policy and the overarching Department 

of Commerce tribal consultation policy, the Census Bureau began consulting with 

tribal leaders five years in advance of the 2020 Census through two rounds of tribal 

consultations. The initial installment of tribal consultations included eight meetings and a 

national webinar, followed by a second round of nine tribal consultation meetings, during 

which the Census Bureau held two tribal consultations designed specifically for Oklahoma 

tribes. 

The 2020 AIAN Program emphasizes outreach to American Indians and Alaska Natives 

(AIANs) who live on tribal lands—a historically undercounted population—to promote a 

complete, accurate count of tribal populations in the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau 

prioritized dialogue with Oklahoma tribes about how to map and tabulate data for their 

tribal lands, since Oklahoma tribal lands are defined differently than other federally 

recognized tribal lands in the United States.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report • 3

2020 Tribal Consultations with 

Oklahoma Tribes

Working with tribes to achieve accurate counts for all Indigenous groups in the United 

States is a priority for the Census Bureau. Since the boundaries of tribal lands in Oklahoma 

are mapped differently than other federally recognized tribal lands, the Census Bureau 

prioritized tribal consultation with Oklahoma tribes to discuss these complexities in detail.

The Census Bureau partnered with the Osage Nation to host a tribal consultation with 

Oklahoma tribes on October 25, 2016, in Skiatook, OK. The Census Bureau held a second 

tribal consultation on November 21, 2016, in Shawnee, OK, in partnership with the Citizen 

Potawatomi Nation.

CONTRACTOR SUPPORT

The Census Bureau contracted with Kauffman & Associates, Inc., (KAI) an American Indianowned professional services firm, to help plan and execute the tribal consultations. 

KAI assisted the Census Bureau in connecting with the two Oklahoma tribes to establish 

meeting locations, sent electronic invitation letters to Oklahoma tribes, arranged travel 

for tribal attendees, and developed the meeting agenda. Onsite, KAI provided logistic, 

registration, and note-taking services. Following the tribal consultations, KAI developed 

summary notes for each meeting and created the final report. 

BACKGROUND MATERIALS

The 2020 Census Tribal Consultation Handbook, which was sent to tribes prior to the 

2020 Census tribal consultations, presents topics for tribal consideration. Each topic is 

accompanied by discussion questions to prompt responses from tribal leadership. 

MEETING AGENDA

The meeting agenda for both Oklahoma tribal consultations focused on two tribal 

consultation topics from the 2020 Census Tribal Consultation Handbook: geography and 

population statistics. The agenda was designed with a flexible structure to stimulate 

discussion and to gather tribal input, concerns, and questions related to the 2020 Census.
4 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Geography was the primary agenda topic because Oklahoma tribes are geographically 

distinct from other tribes in the United States. Population data, such as racial statistics, are 

mapped within geographic boundaries. In addition to a focus on geographic boundaries, 

the Oklahoma tribal consultations included discussion about the population statistics within 

those geographic boundaries. 

The tribal consultations opened with introductions and an open discussion period, 

followed by a brief presentation from the Census Bureau that summarized planning for 

the 2020 Census. Next, the Census Bureau delivered brief presentations on geography 

and population statistics. Census Bureau presentations concluded by posing discussion 

questions from the 2020 Census Tribal Consultation Handbook, adapted to specifically 

address Oklahoma tribal geography. The tribal consultations concluded with an open 

discussion period, followed by one-on-one conversations between a Census Bureau 

geographer and the representative(s) of each tribe, during which tribes could discuss their 

unique geographic situations in detail.

TRIBAL CONSULTATION PARTICIPANTS

Participants at the tribal consultations included tribal leaders and official tribal delegates, 

as well as tribal government employees with expertise in geography, enrollment, planning, 

and statistics. Census Bureau staff in attendance represented headquarters and the Denver 

Regional Office.

Tribal Participants

In total, 31 tribal delegates attended the Oklahoma tribal consultations. Six tribal attendees 

participated in the tribal consultation in Skiatook, and 25 tribal attendees joined the 

meeting in Shawnee. Nineteen Oklahoma tribes were represented across both tribal 

consultations.

Census Bureau Participants

Census Bureau executive leadership in attendance included:

u Deirdre Bishop, Division Chief for the Geography Division, and

u Tim Olson, Associate Director for Field Operations.

Census Bureau Denver Regional Office leadership who participated in the tribal 

consultations included:

u Cathy Lacy, Regional Director;

u Vicki McIntire, Assistant Regional Director; and

u Mark Hellfritz, Assistant Regional Census Manager.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report • 5

Census Bureau headquarters staff from the Geography and Population Divisions attended 

the tribal consultations and delivered brief presentations to inform discussions with tribal 

leadership. Census Bureau staff from the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental 

Affairs also participated in the tribal consultations.

Tribal Consultation Themes

This portion of the report summarizes tribal representatives’ input on how the Census 

Bureau defines Oklahoma tribal geography.

OKLAHOMA TRIBAL GEOGRAPHY

In addition to producing total counts at the national level, the Census Bureau tabulates 

data for all households located within specific geographic areas, such as reservations or 

counties. To ensure the correct households are counted toward a particular geography, the 

Census Bureau must have up-to-date boundaries for that area. 

Statistical areas can be defined when a tribe needs data for a certain area that does not 

have legally defined boundaries. For many tribes, the Census Bureau tabulates data within 

reservation boundaries, but because Oklahoma tribes do not have federally recognized 

reservations, the Census Bureau maps unique geographies for Oklahoma tribes, called 

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (OTSAs). 

Potential Mapping of Oklahoma Tribal Trust Lands

Many funding authorities require tribes to apply for grants using data for legal areas 

mapped by the Census Bureau, and OTSAs are not legal areas. For this reason, the Census 

Bureau sought tribal input on whether mapping off-reservation trust lands for Oklahoma 

tribes would provide useful data for the tribes. Mapping tribal trust lands would provide 

counts for the number of people living in trust lands, counts for the number of people 

living within OTSAs, and an overall count that combines the tribe’s statistical and legal 

geographies. The Census Bureau would like to work with Oklahoma tribes to understand 

whether mapping tribal trust lands would provide useful data for them.

Discussion question: Would the Census Bureau’s mapping of Oklahoma tribal trust 

lands provide useful data for tribes?

The majority of the tribes represented at the Oklahoma tribal consultations affirmed that 

receiving datasets for tribal trust lands would aid tribal planning and the justification of 

adequate funding for tribal programs. Publishing counts for trust lands would record 

which allotment lands are under tribal jurisdiction, which would aid in the complex, timeconsuming determination of who has jurisdiction over allotment lands.
6 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

However, the tribal delegates highlighted several challenges and risks associated with 

mapping trust lands, as follows. 

u Oklahoma tribal lands frequently transition into and out of trust status, so 

maintaining up-to-date boundaries for these areas would be difficult.

u Many tribal trust lands contain tribal offices, businesses, schools, or agricultural 

areas, but few residences.

u Data gathered from tribal trust lands in conjunction with data collected from OTSAs 

could cause duplication since many tribal trust lands are encompassed by OTSAs.

u Mapping trust lands would disclose trust land locations to the general public, which 

risks highlighting tribes’ historical sites or private tribal enterprise locations. 

u Individual owners of allotment lands are unlikely to unanimously agree on whether 

trust land locations should be mapped and disclosed.

The majority of tribal representatives who attended the Oklahoma tribal consultations 

concluded that, while mapping Oklahoma tribal trust lands would benefit tribes, those 

potential benefits are eclipsed by the risk of publishing confidential information and the 

effort required to overcome the challenges of this task. Therefore, many of the tribal 

delegates felt that mapping tribal trust lands would not be feasible, but emphasized that the 

Census Bureau should consult with each Oklahoma tribe individually about whether they 

would like the Census Bureau to map their trust lands.

In addition to weighing in on the need for and feasibility of mapping trust lands, the tribal 

delegates also provided the following guidance.

u The decision to map Oklahoma tribal trust lands must be made at the individual 

tribal level, since one approach will not fit all Oklahoma tribes.

u If the Census Bureau maps allotment lands, which are owned by one or more 

individuals instead of the tribe, the Census Bureau should obtain approval from all 

individual owners before publicizing allotment land locations.

u If the Census Bureau maps trust lands, it should regard allotment lands owned by 

individuals under the tribe’s jurisdiction as having the same status as tribally owned 

trust lands.

Oklahoma Tribes Without Former Reservation Lands

Some Oklahoma tribes never had reservation lands in Oklahoma. Since OTSA boundaries 

are drawn according to former reservations, the Census Bureau does not designate OTSAs 

for these tribes. This issue surfaces each decade during discussions with Oklahoma tribes, 

and the Census Bureau agreed to investigate, through tribal consultation, other ways to 

map geographic areas for tribes without OTSAs.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report • 7

Overarching Themes

Often, overarching themes emerge in tribal consultations that transcend the agenda topics. 

During the tribal consultations with Oklahoma tribes, the following topics arose frequently:

u recommended approaches for enumerating Oklahoma tribal citizens

u the implications of census data on tribal programs and planning

ENUMERATION APPROACHES

The 2020 Census will offer several response options. The primary response option will be 

Internet self-response through a secure website. The Census Bureau will also offer options 

to respond through a paper questionnaire or over the telephone. For places where other 

response options are not feasible, and to follow up with households that do not selfrespond, the Census Bureau will conduct in-person enumeration by sending interviewers 

to housing units. The Census Bureau would like to work with tribes to understand the best 

enumeration approach for each tribal community. 

During tribal consultations with Oklahoma tribes, tribal delegates provided input 

on enumeration approaches for tribal lands. The tribal delegates presented several 

recommendations for effectively enumerating Oklahoma tribal citizens, which included:

u using in-person enumeration as the primary approach for tribal areas, since many 

tribal citizens lack Internet access and landline phones;

u hiring local enumerators who are trusted by their communities and can 

communicate with tribal elders who may not speak English;

u emphasizing to community members the importance of listing all residents of a 

household on the census form and assuring them they will not be penalized for 

reporting an overcrowded household; and

u encouraging tribes to share with their own constituents the importance of the 

census and how to report their tribal affiliation on the census form.

THE EFFECTS OF CENSUS DATA ON TRIBES

Several of the tribes in attendance reported undercounts in previous censuses, which 

inhibited planning and the funding of key tribal programs. They also noted that census 

geographies often fail to capture data on tribal citizens in the context of Oklahoma tribal 

land bases. 

Accurate census counts are critical to ensuring that tribes are allocated the appropriate 

amount of funds for health, housing, and other crucial community programs. Tribes also 

need accurate census data to plan appropriately for using their limited resources effectively. 

Additionally, census data will serve as a record for future generations to reference and 

those records need to contain accurate data.
8 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Follow-Up Items

This section notes follow-up items identified by the Census Bureau during the tribal 

consultations and indicates the actions the Census Bureau has taken and will take to follow 

up with tribal questions, comments, and concerns.

COMPLETED FOLLOW-UP ITEMS

The Census Bureau has fulfilled the following commitment made during the tribal 

consultations.

u The Census Bureau’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs sent 

electronic versions and hard copies of the tribal consultation meeting notes and 

presentations to all participants. 

u The Census Bureau notified tribal governments and tribal consultation participants 

about the launch of the Census Bureau’s My Tribal Area data tool in May 2017.

NEXT STEPS

Based on follow-up items identified during the tribal consultations, the Census Bureau will 

do the following.

u In March 2018, the Census Bureau will send an inquiry letter to tribal governments 

about the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP) schedule. The letter will 

include a request about whether tribes would like the Census Bureau to delineate 

their legal trust lands for mapping purposes.

u The Census Bureau will continue to explore the possible designation of a geography 

similar to OTSAs for Oklahoma tribes without former reservations and will update 

Oklahoma tribes on this issue as part of the PSAP notification in March 2018.

Conclusion

The Census Bureau gathered many useful insights and recommendations through 

consultation with Oklahoma tribes. The meetings provided tribes with the opportunity 

to learn about plans for the 2020 Census, while the Census Bureau collected input for 

improving the AIAN count in Oklahoma. The Census Bureau gained further insight into 

counting Oklahoma tribal citizens in spite of the tribes’ complex geographic situations 

and within the already challenging context of conducting the decennial census in Indian 

Country. Dialogue with Oklahoma tribes strengthened partnerships with these tribes and 

provided the Census Bureau with valuable feedback that will inform planning as the 2020 

Census moves forward.
TM

Appendix A
10 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Appendix A: Meeting Notes from the 

2020 Census Tribal Consultation in 

Skiatook, OK

Osage Casino and Hotel, Skiatook, OK

Tuesday, October 25, 2016, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

ATTENDEES

Tribes represented: 5

Tribal delegates in attendance: 6

Tribal Delegates

u Margaret Anquoe, Director of Planning, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

u Allan Barnes, Tribal Operations Manager, Delaware Tribe of Indians

u Dana Butterfield, Family Services Director, Wyandotte Nation

u Marquana Chewey, Executive Director of Tribal Operations, United Keetoowah Band 

of Cherokee Indians of Oklahoma

u Kimberly Goodbear, Technical Writer, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

u Rosezella Mayfield, Enrollment Director, Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town

Census Bureau Staff

Headquarters

u Dee Alexander, Tribal Affairs Coordinator, Office of Congressional and 

Intergovernmental Affairs

u Deirdre Bishop, Division Chief for the Geography Division

u Joshua Coutts; Geographer; Geographic Standards, Criteria and Quality Branch; 

Geography Division

u Wendy Hawley; Geographer; Partnership, Communication, and Outreach Branch; 

Geography Division

u Tallese Johnson, Statistician, Racial Statistics Branch, Population Division

u Tim Olson, Associate Director for Field Operations
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 11

u Vince Osier; Branch Chief; Geographic Standards, Criteria and Quality Branch; 

Geography Division

u Hyon B. Shin, Chief, Racial Statistics Branch, Population Division

u Laura Waggoner; Assistant Division Chief for Geographic Partnerships, Data 

Collection, and Products; Geography Division

Denver Regional Staff

u Meredith Gillum, Geographer

u Cathy Lacy, Denver Regional Director

u Susana Privett, Data Dissemination Specialist

u Amadeo Shije, Tribal Partnership Specialist

u Fred Stevens, Tribal Partnership Specialist

OTHER ATTENDEES

u Jennifer Gillissen, Director of Meeting and Event Planning, Kauffman & Associates, 

Inc.

u Brian Hendrix, Deputy Assistant for Native American Affairs, Oklahoma Secretary of 

State

u Melanie Poulter (Choctaw/Cherokee), Tulsa Community Service Council

u Katie Terra, Technical Writer, Kauffman & Associates, Inc.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Welcome

Tim Olson

Mr. Olson welcomed the attendees and thanked them for joining the tribal consultation. 

Opening Remarks

Cathy Lacy

The regional offices implement the census activities planned by the Census Bureau. 

“People on the ground” refers to regional staff. The Census Bureau’s Denver Region covers 

12 states. Director Lacy worked with Oklahoma in the 2000 Census and is familiar with the 

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (OTSAs) and the unique challenges related to Oklahoma 

geography. Many Census Bureau field staff work in Oklahoma daily. The Census Bureau 

would like to discuss OTSAs and planning for the 2020 Census with Oklahoma tribes.
12 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Tim Olson

The Census Bureau has been conducting tribal consultations in preparation for the 2020 

Census, starting with a first round of eight consultations and a national webinar in the 

fall 2015 through the spring 2016. The Census Bureau had originally planned to conduct 

one round of tribal consultations, but the first round was so successful and informative 

that the Census Bureau secured extra funds for a second round, which includes this tribal 

consultation. In preparation for the first round, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker 

created a video for tribal leaders. It may sound dated because the Census Bureau had 

anticipated concluding the consultations earlier, but the message is just as applicable to 

this round. 

[The Census Bureau played a short video with welcoming remarks from U.S. 

Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.]

Secretary Pritzker thanked tribal leadership for attending the consultation and working with 

the Census Bureau to develop the 2020 Census. When Secretary Pritzker visited Indian 

Country recently, tribal leaders expressed how critical it is to gather accurate data from 

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities during the next decennial census. 

The Census Bureau is conducting a series of tribal consultation meetings to elicit tribal 

input.

In 2013, the Department of Commerce finalized its tribal consultation and coordination 

policy, which establishes how the Department works with federally recognized tribes. The 

policy allows the Department to capitalize on the immense value tribal consultation brings 

to the decision-making process. While the consultation process was valuable in the leadup to the 2010 Census, it was clear the Census Bureau needed more time to prepare. For 

the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau has begun the tribal consultation process two years 

earlier. 

No other department rivals the reach, depth, and breadth of the Department of Commerce 

data programs. Census data affect policymaking at all levels and has the power to move 

markets. The decennial census is the largest civilian mobilization effort in the nation and 

a constitutional requirement. In 2020, the Census Bureau will have a few short months to 

count the over 320 million people in the United States. The Census Bureau needs help from 

tribes to better serve and gather accurate information from AIAN communities. The Census 

Bureau needs to hear concerns and suggestions from tribal leadership and needs these 

leaders to encourage their tribal citizens to respond to the census.

Tim Olson

The Census Bureau’s Dee Alexander was instrumental in developing the tribal consultation 

policies for the Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau’s 

parent agency. She is the tribal liaison for all matters related to the census. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 13

Overview of the Agenda

Dee Alexander

Previously, Ms. Alexander worked out of Kansas City, and she was responsible for meeting 

with every tribe in Oklahoma. Since the tribes in Oklahoma have a special geographic 

delineation, it was important to the Census Bureau, in the lead-up to the 2020 Census, 

to set up a tribal consultation specifically with the Oklahoma tribes. The Census Bureau 

partnered with the Osage Nation to plan this tribal consultation.

The Census Bureau implemented a tribal consultation policy in 2008 and also observes 

the Department of Commerce tribal consultation policy. These policies require the 

Census Bureau to consult with tribes on population statistics, geographic boundaries, 

and anything else that could affect tribal communities. The Office of Congressional and 

Intergovernmental Affairs is always open to hearing from tribes.

A final report covering both rounds of 2020 Census tribal consultations will be released in 

June 2017. All tribal consultation registrants will receive a copy. Registrants will also receive 

a summary of this tribal consultation two to three weeks after the meeting. The goals of this 

tribal consultation are to:

u create open, two-way communication between tribal governments and the Census 

Bureau;

u gather tribal input and information needed to move forward with planning the 2020 

Census; 

u record and address outcomes, issues, and recommendations; and

u clarify census geography and population statistics as they relate to Oklahoma 

tribes.

This tribal consultation is being recorded. The Census Bureau will conduct a tribal 

consultation in Chandler, AZ, on November 17 and 18 that includes the full range of tribal 

consultation topics. In addition to geography and population statistics, it will also cover 

the Census Bureau’s partnership program, communications campaign, and recruitment for 

census jobs. The Census Bureau welcomes all tribal delegates from this tribal consultation 

to attend and learn more about these other topics.

Ms. Alexander reviewed the day’s agenda. Many geographers from the Census Bureau 

attended the consultation, and the Census Bureau would like to hold one-on-one 

discussions between a Census Bureau geographer and each tribe represented to 

understand their unique geographic situations. She welcomed the tribal delegates to 

contact her office at any time with questions or concerns.
14 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSION, AND TESTIMONY

Introductions and Open Discussion

The tribal delegates introduced themselves and made some additional comments at this 

time. Census Bureau staff then introduced themselves, some of whom made additional 

comments.

Allan Barnes 

Holding tribal consultations in 2016 for a census that takes place in 2020 is an 

acknowledgement of much work to be done. The Delaware Tribe of Indians will support the 

Census Bureau in conducting the census however it can. 

Marquana Chewey 

The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma is one of three federally 

recognized Cherokee tribes in the United States. Ms. Chewey will gather information about 

the census and share it with her tribe to begin focusing on how the tribe can assist.

Melanie Poulter 

Ms. Poulter attended the tribal consultation in representation of the Community Services 

Council in Tulsa, which is a census information center (CIC). She leads operations and 

serves as chairperson of the CIC steering committee. 

Dana Butterfield

Ms. Butterfield served as the tribal liaison for the Wyandotte Nation in the 2010 Census. 

Rosezella Mayfield 

The Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town is a very small tribe.

Vince Osier

Mr. Osier has worked on mapping tribal lands and geography for the Census Bureau since 

1997. He attended most of the 2010 and 2020 Census tribal consultations to discuss 

geography with tribal delegates.

Deirdre Bishop

Ms. Bishop has worked at the Census Bureau for over twenty years and has spent most of 

that time working with geography. Most recently, before becoming chief of the Geography 

Division, Ms. Bishop was in charge of planning the design of the 2020 Census. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 15

Amadeo Shije

Mr. Shije encouraged attendees to contact him with any questions about partnership. He 

hopes to visit each of the tribes represented to discuss the 2020 Census one on one. The 

Census Bureau will soon seek tribal liaisons who are appointed by each tribe to facilitate 

communication between the tribe and the Census Bureau. 

Overview of the Planning for the 2020 Census 

Purpose of the 2020 Census 

Deirdre Bishop

The purpose of the decennial census is to conduct a census of the population and housing 

and disseminate the results to the U.S. president, the states, and the American people. 

The decennial census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to draw 

congressional and legislative districts, voting precincts, and school districts; enforce human 

rights legislation; inform tribal, state, federal, and local planning; and inform decisions by 

businesses and nonprofit organizations. 

Reducing the Cost of the Census 

Congress, as well as internal and external stakeholders, told the Census Bureau that 

the cost of the census has been rising too rapidly and that the Census Bureau needs to 

conduct the 2020 Census at a lower cost per housing unit while maintaining the quality 

of the data collected. The overarching goal of the 2020 Census remains the same from 

previous decennial censuses: count everyone once, only once, and in the right place. 

The design of the 2020 Census has focused on innovations for the four major cost drivers 

of the census. These innovation areas include: 

u reengineering address canvassing,

u optimizing self-response,

u using administrative records and third-party data, and

u reengineering field operations.
16 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Reengineering Address Canvassing

For the 2010 Census, the address list was updated as part of a large, in-field effort in which 

150 thousand address canvassers traveled every road in the United States and Puerto 

Rico. For the 2020 Census, completeness and accuracy of the address list remain equally 

important, and the Census Bureau will again conduct a 100 percent review and update 

of the list, using updated methods that combine in-office and in-field review. The goal in 

reengineering the address canvassing is to reduce the amount of in-field canvassing and 

conduct more in-office review to update the address list. The in-office review will involve 

obtaining information from the U.S. Postal Service, satellite imagery, local geographic 

information systems (GIS), commercial databases, and other private sector sources 

provided to the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau will also work with tribes to collect 

addresses and spatial data, like roads. Tribal governments will have the opportunity to 

update the address list through the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA). Where 

reliable data sources are unavailable, unattainable, or in areas undergoing significant or 

rapid change, the Census Bureau will send people into the field to update the list. Research 

has shown the Census Bureau can validate about 75 percent of addresses using in-office 

review. In-field canvassing for 25 percent of addresses will save an estimated 900 million 

dollars. The Census Bureau is continually testing the accuracy of third party data by 

sending canvassers out to audit the information received.

Optimizing Self-Response

To communicate the importance of the census and encourage people to respond, the 

Census Bureau will conduct a nationwide partnership and communications program. 

The campaign will motivate audiences to respond through audience-appropriate 

communications and advertising, Tribal Complete Count Committees, and partnership. 

Building on 2010 Census experiences and lessons learned, the campaign will use 

traditional and new media to connect with audiences, target ads to specific audiences, 

and communicate through trusted voices. Tribal government liaisons are key partners in 

ensuring the best design of outreach to increase participation. Liaisons, who are appointed 

by tribal leadership, will coordinate with tribal government officials; planners; tribal and 

local agency staff; and Census Bureau staff, particularly partnership specialists, to ensure 

effective outreach.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 17

The 2020 Census will also make it easier for people to respond at anytime from anywhere. 

Several response options will be available, but most people will be encouraged to respond 

online. For the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau plans to offer four ways of responding to 

the census:

1. online self-response through a secure website, using a computer, tablet, or 

smartphone;

2. telephone interview over a toll-free, operator-assisted line;

3. paper questionnaire; and

4. traditional, in-person enumeration through a field interviewer.

Completing the census online will allow users to respond without the unique census 

ID code provided in the initial invitation letter mailed to the household. This will 

encourage people to respond even if they are away from home, either at work or using 

their smartphone on a bus, for example. In testing, this has proven to be successful in 

encouraging response. However, the Census Bureau does anticipate that most people will 

use the census ID provided. 

Using Administrative Records and Third-Party Data

The Census Bureau will work with the U.S. Postal Service to identify vacant housing units. If 

the postal service is unable to deliver an invitation from the Census Bureau to a household 

because it is vacant, the postal service will notify the Census Bureau so that unit can be 

removed from the workload. 

The Census Bureau also plans to use records from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 

Social Security Administration (SSA), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), 

and Indian Health Service (IHS) to enumerate non-responding households. All households 

will have opportunities to self-respond before the Census Bureau uses administrative 

records to enumerate them. The Census Bureau first mails an invitation to each household 

to complete the census. Then, enumerators will knock on the doors of households that do 

not respond. If the Census Bureau still does not receive a response, it will then use thirdparty data to enumerate those households if reliable data exist.
18 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Reengineering Field Operations

In 2010, the Census Bureau had 494 area census offices and 12 regional offices. The 

Census Bureau hired approximately 600 thousand enumerators to knock on doors. Since 

2010, the regional offices have been downsized to six offices. Through handheld devices 

for enumerators, the Census Bureau can likely cut staffing and field infrastructure in half, 

as well, meaning the 2020 Census will require about 250 area offices and 300 thousand 

enumerators. Fewer supervisors will be needed, since automation of work assignments is 

possible through the handheld devices. Combined, these innovations have the potential to 

save over $5 billion. 

Timeline

The research and testing phase for planning the census was from 2013 through 2016. The 

Census Bureau is now transitioning to the operational and building phase, which involves 

using the information learned from testing to finalize plans.

Some of the milestones achieved so far are listed below.

u In October 2015, the Census Bureau released the 2020 Census Operational Plan, 

which was three years earlier than was done in the previous decade. The plan 

contains details for how the Census Bureau plans to conduct the 2020 Census. It 

describes design concepts and rationales and identifies decisions that still need to 

be made. The Census Bureau released a new version of the plan this fall and will 

likely revise it every year leading up to the 2020 Census. The Operational Plan1 is 

available online.

u In 2016, the Census Bureau posted the Census Memorandum Series2 online. The 

series documents major decisions, actions, or accomplishments as short summaries 

so all stakeholders can easily see updated information.

u The Census Bureau also posted a Federal Register Notice seeking public comment 

on the 2010 Census residence criteria in May 2015. A summary of the comments 

was published in February 2016. In June 2016, the Census Bureau published 

proposed residence rules for the 2020 Census and received over 77 thousand 

comments during the 60-day comment period, mostly concerning where to count 

prisoners and overseas military personnel. The Census Bureau plans to issue final 

residence criteria in late 2016. 

u In December 2015, the Census Bureau kicked off the Redistricting Data Program, 

which involves Census Bureau staff visiting state data centers to discuss the 2020 

Census plans.

1 The Operational Plan is available at http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/

planning-management/planning-docs/operational-plan.html

2 View the Census Memorandum Series at http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/planning-management/memo-series.html
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 19

The Census Bureau conducted a first round of tribal consultation for the 2020 Census that 

included eight tribal consultations and a national webinar in the fall 2015 and spring 2016. 

This tribal consultation is part of the second round of tribal consultations that began in 

the fall 2016. The Census Bureau began conducting tribal consultations two years earlier 

in the lead-up to the 2020 Census than was done leading up to the 2010 Census. The 

Census Bureau has received valuable information about plans for the 2020 Census and 

tribal geography in the tribal consultations conducted so far. Some of the insight gained 

from tribes includes a preference for in-person enumeration on many reservations, since 

Internet connectivity is often a challenge, as well as the importance of hiring local, tribal 

enumerators. The Census Bureau intends to do both of these things and looks forward to 

receiving further input from tribes. 

Key Milestones

Key milestones the Census Bureau needs to achieve between now and 2020 are listed 

below.

u Residence criteria will be finalized and published in late 2016.

u LUCA, the program through which tribal officials can review and update the Census 

Bureau address list, will begin in the summer 2017. 

u In 2017, a census test will sample 80 thousand housing units nationwide and 

include evaluation of Internet self-response and a potential question on tribal 

enrollment for those who self-identify as AIAN. 

u Question topics to be included on the census form must be submitted to Congress 

by April 2017.

u In 2018, the Census Bureau will conduct an end-to-end test, which is essentially a 

dress rehearsal for the census.

u Specific question wording must be delivered to Congress by April 2018.

u The AIAN Partnership Program will fully launch in 2019.

u Census Day will be April 1, 2020.

u After Census Day, nonresponse follow-up will begin in late April and continue 

through late June or early July 2020.

u Apportionment counts are due to the president by December 31, 2020.

u Redistricting data are due to the states by March 31, 2021.

Every three months, the Census Bureau invites the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), the National Academy of Sciences panel, Congressional authorizers and 

appropriators, the Office of Inspector General, and other stakeholders to review the 2020 

Census plans. Sharing decisions regularly has ensured transparency in the design process 

and helped the plan become more concrete earlier in the decade. 
20 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Melanie Poulter 

How will the Census Bureau use administrative records?

Deirdre Bishop 

The Census Bureau will use administrative records to help build an accurate address list, 

since accurate geography is the foundation of a good census. The Census Bureau needs 

an accurate, complete address list to ensure every household is invited to respond to 

the census and responses are tabulated in the correct locations. Tribal, local, and state 

governments have been sharing address information with the Census Bureau. The Census 

Bureau also works closely with the U.S. Postal Service; every month, the postal service 

sends a copy of its delivery sequence file, which the Census Bureau compares to its 

address database. The postal service also notifies the Census Bureau about vacant housing 

units. 

Administrative records will also be used to enumerate some households. Everyone will 

have a chance to self-respond to the census first. If they do not, the Census Bureau will 

knock on every door. If a household still does not respond, the Census Bureau will use 

a composite of sources, including files from the IRS, CMS, SSA, and IHS, if available. If 

the Census Bureau can pool sufficient information from multiple sources to confirm the 

residents, the household will be enumerated that way. 

Tim Olson

The Census Bureau has used administrative records to build the address list for past 

censuses, but using administrative records for enumeration is new. 

In past censuses, the Census Bureau would hire 600 thousand people to knock on the 

doors of households that did not respond. There is a small percentage of the population 

who will not respond to the census no matter what because they feel it invades their 

privacy or they simply are not home. In the past, after up to six attempts to speak to the 

residents in person, the enumerator would attempt to speak to a neighbor, mail carrier, or 

someone else who might have information about the address and its residents. Research 

has shown that proxy data are not reliable and that data from administrative records are 

more accurate. Gathering data this way will also save money. Every knock costs money. 

Rosezella Mayfield

Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town has a large elder population and among them are many 

non-English speakers. Ms. Mayfield offered to help the Census Bureau in collecting data in 

her community. Members of the community are more likely to talk to someone they know, 

so having someone from the community gather the data would help.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 21

Tim Olson

One of the Census Bureau’s strategies in hiring enumerators is to recruit at the local level. 

The Census Bureau draws a line around a geography and only considers applicants from 

within that area. The Census Bureau hopes to receive enough applicants to hire locally 

everywhere. To hire effectively, the Census Bureau needs an applicant pool that is four 

to five times the number of enumerators needed. Nationwide, 300 thousand enumerators 

will be needed, so the Census Bureau will need an applicant pool of about 1.5 million. 

Mr. Olson encouraged all the tribal delegates to assist with recruiting for census jobs. 

Recruitment for enumerators will begin in 2019, and enumerators will be hired in March and 

April 2020. The jobs last for about six weeks and include paid training. 

Rosezella Mayfield

Having someone at the community health clinics to gather responses would be helpful, 

since most community members visit the clinics at some point. The tribe does not always 

know the current home addresses for some tribal citizens. Sometimes, citizens move 

without notifying the tribe of the new address. 

Cathy Lacy

Getting the word out about the census in health clinics is a great idea. To promote the 2010 

Census, a tribe created a video and played it on a loop in the health clinic waiting room, 

which helped raise awareness of the census. This time, if a person hears this information 

while in a waiting room, they can use a smartphone or tablet to go online and complete the 

census right away. 

It is important to ensure that when the head of household completes the census form, 

they list information for every person living in the household. The Census Bureau sees 

frequent underreporting of the number of residents per household, especially in Indian 

Country. Funding for many programs is based on census counts, and capturing full counts 

directly affects a community’s power of representation. The Census Bureau believes in the 

importance of accurate data and is motivated by the truth, not by politics. The voices of 

tribal leadership are crucial in communicating the importance of the census to community 

members. The Census Bureau will soon approach tribes individually to determine the best 

ways to get word out to tribal citizens about the census. The Census Bureau will hire a 

partnership specialist for Oklahoma who will work with tribal issues. The job will be posted 

on October 31 on the Census Bureau website.

Rosezella Mayfield 

Some community members may not understand the importance of listing everyone living in 

the household. Making this information widely available would be helpful.
22 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Tim Olson 

Previously, the Census Bureau did not hire partnership specialists until two years prior to 

the census. 

The Census Bureau starts with the best possible list of addresses, which is built over time, 

and requests that each address respond to the census and indicate every person who lives 

there, regardless of whether they are related to the head of household. If a person stays or 

sleeps there most of the time, they should be counted as living there. The Census Bureau 

believes that overcrowded housing is often not reported on the census form because there 

may be more people living at the address than permitted by local regulations or by the 

housing authority. The head of household may only report up to the number permitted by 

law and fail to report others living at the address, resulting in an undercount. 

At a tribal consultation the previous week, the Census Bureau and tribal delegates 

discussed how to convince people living in an overcrowded household that listing all 

residents is a benefit to them and their community. They also discussed how to assure 

them that the census is confidential. The Census Bureau cannot tell the housing authority, 

tribal government, or anyone else how many people live at a certain address. Title 13 

prohibits anyone who works for the Census Bureau from revealing information about an 

individual household or person. Census Bureau employees face major fines and jail time 

if personally identifiable information is disclosed. Census Bureau staff take the oath of 

confidentiality seriously because it encourages people to tell the truth on the census 

form, which creates accurate data. Data on overcrowded households are produced at an 

aggregate level so that the tribe can then provide the information to HUD or other funding 

authorities to justify housing funds. The Census Bureau needs ideas from tribes about 

getting the word out that the census is safe and confidential and that it is important not to 

underreport the number of residents in a household. 

Allan Barnes

Counting 320 million people is a monumental task. What is the anticipated number of nonresponse households? 

Deirdre Bishop 

New estimates show that, by 2020, the Census Bureau will need to enumerate 330 million 

people living in 143 million housing units. Based on tests, the Census Bureau estimates 

that about 56 million housing units will not self-respond to the 2020 Census. The Census 

Bureau will use administrative records to remove vacant units, further reducing the number 

of units that will need in-person enumeration. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 23

Allan Barnes 

Sometimes several families will use the same mailing address even though they do not all 

live at that address. 

Deirdre Bishop

The census counts people where they reside as of April 1, 2020, rather than where they 

receive mail. The Census Bureau needs tribal leaders’ help in stressing the importance of 

the census and encouraging tribal citizens to ensure they are counted where they live. 

Brian Hendrix

Does the Census Bureau track proxy data by region, territory, or state to understand where 

proxy data are most often collected? 

Deirdre Bishop

The Census Bureau uses a sophisticated system for tracking each form as they are 

received. When a household does not respond, the Census Bureau will know where 

enumerators are needed. The Census Bureau will re-run numbers every few hours as the 

census is conducted.

Brian Hendrix 

Was the same system in place for the 2010 Census? Can the Census Bureau identify areas 

from previous censuses where proxy data were heavily relied upon? 

Cathy Lacy

The Census Bureau does have numbers for units that appear to have been missed in 

the 2010 Census, as well as the number of places where proxy data were collected. The 

Census Bureau evaluates previous censuses to identify areas for improvement, so it tracks 

this type of information. 

Rosezella Mayfield

The census is important because it provides records for future generations. Ms. Mayfield 

has census data from 1890 and appreciates being able to determine which families lived 

in certain households in her community at that time. Many of the younger generations do 

not know information on their lineage or their community’s history. Moving forward, it is 

important to have the data so future generations can have a greater understanding of the 

past. 
24 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Tim Olson

Mr. Olson agreed with Ms. Mayfield that another important aspect of census data is that 

it provides history and a sense of pride for American people. Detailed data from the 1940 

Census are now available in the national archives. It is a good resource for genealogical 

research. The 1950 Census data will be released in a few years. 

Rosezella Mayfield 

All information is important; there cannot be too much information available.

Geography Discussion

Geographic Areas

Laura Waggoner

The Census Bureau maps two types of areas for tribal geography: legal areas and statistical 

areas. 

Legal areas are geographic areas with legally defined boundaries, such as federally 

recognized reservations, off-reservation trust lands for federally recognized tribes, 

and tribal subdivisions for some tribes with large land areas. Legal areas also include 

administrative areas, like school districts.

Statistical areas are only used to create census data. Tribes without trust lands or 

reservations can define statistical areas within which to count their populations. For 

example, a tribe can define a statistical geography to capture a population that is not 

captured by legal boundaries, such as the population of an unincorporated community 

within a large reservation or an off-reservation area with a concentration of tribal citizens.

Geographies for Oklahoma Tribes

The Census Bureau is consulting with Oklahoma tribes to ensure census data meet their 

geographic data needs and would like tribal input on whether the Census Bureau should 

map and publish geographic data for tribal trust lands. Tribal trust lands are a legal 

geography, so mapping them could help Oklahoma tribes since they do not have other 

legal geographies. The Census Bureau would also like to review Oklahoma Tribal Statistical 

Areas (OTSAs) with Oklahoma tribal leaders. 

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas

OTSAs are unique geographic areas that represent historical reservation boundaries that 

existed before Oklahoma became a state. OTSAs were created by the Census Bureau to 

represent reservations as they existed in 1907. OTSAs are named for each tribe’s historic 

reservation (some are named for two or more). The Census Bureau first created OTSAs in 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 25

1990 after working with tribal officials and federal and state agencies to determine how to 

create useful data for Oklahoma tribes. The purpose of OTSAs is to give tribes meaningful 

data about the people who live on their lands. 

Census Bureau Geography Programs

Tribes have the opportunity to update OTSAs once per decade prior to the decennial 

census, through the Census Bureau’s Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP). 

Ms. Waggoner encouraged the tribal delegates to participate in PSAP to ensure their 

geographic boundaries are correct and consistent with tribal needs.

The Census Bureau also has two other geographic programs that include tribal geography, 

LUCA, and the Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS). Tribes with OTSAs do not currently 

participate in LUCA. However, if the Census Bureau maps tribal trust lands in Oklahoma, 

Oklahoma tribes would become eligible to participate in LUCA, through which they could 

review addresses in their areas and provide updates for the Census Bureau geographic 

database. In preparation for the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will provide block counts 

of addresses to tribes without legal geographies for their review. These will be posted in 

January and February 2017. If trust lands were mapped, the tribes could also participate in 

the Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS), an annual geography program through which tribes 

can review and update legal geographies. 

Oklahoma Tribal Trust Lands

If the Census Bureau maps trust lands for Oklahoma tribes, the OTSA boundaries would 

not change. Legal geographies would be added that would overlap with the OTSAs. 

Overlapping geographies offer additional options for tabulating data. For example, within 

the Blackfeet Reservation are North Browning and South Browning—incorporated places 

for which the Census Bureau publishes individual counts. However, these do not detract 

from the overall count for the reservation; the Census Bureau publishes data for each 

incorporated place, as well as the entire reservation. If the Census Bureau maps trust lands 

for Oklahoma tribes, the tribes would receive counts for the trust lands, counts for the 

OTSAs, and an overall count that combines the tribe’s statistical and legal geographies.

A common misconception is that overlapping geographic areas detract from each other. 

They can be tabulated separately from the whole without detracting from the total count. 

Ms. Waggoner asked the tribal delegates for their thoughts on the potential of the Census 

Bureau mapping tribal trust lands. Would this geography be useful?

Kimberly Goodbear

Currently, there is a land buyback program happening that is supposed to end in several 

years. If the Census Bureau mapped trust lands, would the lands mapped include 

purchases made through the buyback program? 
26 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Laura Waggoner

Yes, but the newly acquired lands may not appear in the Census Bureau’s geography 

database until the following year. The Census Bureau is still working with BIA to incorporate 

trust lands into the dataset. Ultimately, the trust lands could be included and tabulated in 

time for the 2020 Census.

Tim Olson

Mr. Olson asked if each of the tribes in attendance had lands in trust.

Tribal delegates

The Wyandotte Nation and the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes have land in trust. The Delaware 

Tribe, Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town, and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in 

Oklahoma do not have lands in trust.

Dana Butterfield 

Most of the Wyandotte Nation trust lands are used for agriculture and tribal government 

operations. The tribe currently has a pending application for additional trust lands.

Tim Olson

Are the pending lands part of the buyback program?

Dana Butterfield

No, it is separate.

Laura Waggoner

Nationally, much of the buyback land may become reservation land rather than trust lands.

Margaret Anquoe

Do allotted lands count as legal lands?

Laura Waggoner 

Right now, fee-based lands are not included in the legal geography datasets, only tribal 

trust lands that are federally recognized.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 27

Margaret Anquoe 

The tribes do have jurisdiction over fee lands.

Laura Waggoner 

Legally, the lands are considered privately owned even though the tribal government may 

have jurisdiction, so they are not included as legal geographies.

Vince Osier

If allotted lands are held in trust, the Census Bureau includes them in legal geography 

datasets. A lot of lands are restricted fee lands; however, the Census Bureau does not have 

a way to verify the restricted fee status of lands.

Margaret Anquoe

The tribal maps verify that.

Laura Waggoner

The Census Bureau is working on how to use this information to create a process with BIA 

to verify and map the lands.

Vince Osier

Do the tribes need the Census Bureau to try to create a process to map restricted fee 

lands?

Margaret Anquoe

All allotted lands are in trust. Buyback lands will automatically go into trust. 

Laura Waggoner

Then those lands will be included in the Census Bureau’s mapping. Unclear land ownership 

is the issue the Census Bureau is currently working with BIA to resolve. Geography used 

for the census is also used to tabulate data for the Economic Census, the largest economic 

survey the Census Bureau conducts, which provides information on businesses and the 

U.S. economy. 

Vince Osier

There is a proposal in discussion for the Economic Census to produce data by tribal 

geography. The survey currently does not produce data for tribal geographies.
28 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Laura Waggoner

If these geographies are already mapped for the decennial census, data for these 

geographies are more likely to be produced for the Economic Census. That gives tribes 

important economic data for planning and applying for grants. 

Tim Olson

If the Census Bureau included trust lands in tribal geographies, who would provide the 

Census Bureau with trust land geographic boundaries?

Laura Waggoner

The Census Bureau would approach individual tribes for this information. If a tribe cannot 

provide the information, the Census Bureau and the tribe will work with BIA to obtain it or 

to obtain supporting documentation for information provided by the tribe.

Allan Barnes

The Delaware Tribe of Indians does not have a reservation or trust lands. However, the 

tribe’s service area includes four counties in Oklahoma and extends into Kansas. It is 

important that the Delaware Tribe of Indians, as a federally recognized tribe, have some sort 

of geographic presence and be represented on the Census Bureau’s map of Oklahoma. 

Vince Osier

Since the Delaware Tribe of Indians does not have a former reservation, it does not have an 

OTSA designated. There are other Oklahoma tribes in this situation, but their populations 

are still counted. The Census Bureau can look into this issue further. 

Deirdre Bishop

Ms. Bishop suggested that Mr. Barnes discuss this further with Mr. Osier one-on-one so the 

Census Bureau can begin researching this issue. 

Hyon Shin

What we believe the tribe needs is counts of the tribe’s population, which the Census 

Bureau produces. The lack of geography does not mean the tribe is not counted. The 

Census Bureau has counts for tribal citizens living anywhere in the United States, tribal 

citizens living within Oklahoma, tribal citizens living within a certain county, and so on. The 

Census Bureau does count citizens of the Delaware Tribe of Indians, but not just within an 

OTSA.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 29

Amadeo Shije

How the head of household answers the race question determines how the race of the 

family living in the household is reported. If a tribal citizen is married to a non-tribal citizen, 

the tribal citizen should respond as the head of household so the household is counted as 

AIAN. 

Laura Waggoner

A law was passed for the Department of Transportation for federal funding of road networks 

and grant service areas. The law requires funds to be distributed based on census 

geographic boundaries and includes language about service-based boundaries. However, 

these terms are not synonymous, as the Census Bureau does not currently map tribal 

service areas. 

Vince Osier

The Census Bureau received many questions after the law was passed. The Census Bureau 

was not aware of the law until after it was passed, which has driven the Census Bureau’s 

current interest in gathering data for tribal trust lands in Oklahoma. 

Laura Waggoner

Other federal agencies sometimes use census boundaries to disseminate their funds even 

if the census does not map geographies meeting the same definition used by that agency. 

This issue can be partially addressed by educating other agencies about geographic 

boundaries and proper data use. However, laws are still passed for granting agencies who 

do not consider how the data needed to allocate funds will be extracted or tabulated. 

Tim Olson

Does anyone not want the Census Bureau to map out tribal trust lands in Oklahoma? 

Written feedback on this topic can be submitted to the Census Bureau after the tribal 

consultation.

Deirdre Bishop

Are there specific tribal leaders in Oklahoma with whom the Census Bureau should discuss 

the possibility of tabulating data by tribal trust land?

Margaret Anquoe

Before officially responding to whether the Census Bureau should collect data on Oklahoma 

tribal trust lands, the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes needs to get input from others within the 

tribe’s government. In training, tribal government staff were told never to identify historic 

locations, and if the Census Bureau maps trust land locations, it might become easier to 

guess where those places are.
30 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Vince Osier

Since the Wyandotte Nation has land near Kansas City, and the Fort Sill Apache Tribe has 

land in Arizona, mapping trust lands for these tribes could mean checkerboard lands across 

a large area, but if the data would be useful, the Census Bureau will look into mapping 

those lands.

Tim Olson

The Census Bureau maps boundaries for federally recognized tribes that are not restrained 

within a state boundary, so the mapping of trust lands for Oklahoma tribes would be an 

extension of that type of boundary.

Dee Alexander

If a small number of tribes want the Census Bureau to map their trust lands, will the Census 

Bureau map these lands for tribes who want the data, but avoid mapping it for tribes that 

do not want the data? Or would the Census Bureau implement a state-wide approach?

Laura Waggoner 

To map tribal trust lands, the Census Bureau will need to receive information about these 

lands from the tribes, so tribes could opt out by not sharing that information. If the tribe 

provides the information to the Census Bureau, but does not want certain areas included 

because of their historic value, the tribes will need to convey this information. The Census 

Bureau wants to ensure it meets local, tribal needs with national-level data.

Tim Olson

If the Census Bureau collects data on tribal trust lands, will a unique program be created to 

request the information from tribes? 

Laura Waggoner

The information would be collected through the BAS.

Population Statistics Discussion

Hyon Shin

Census Bureau data produced for AIANs come from the census question on race. In the 

2010 Census, the race question included a checkbox where a respondent could selfidentify as AIAN, accompanied by a write-in area for providing detailed information, such as 

tribal affiliation. The Census Bureau has a coding and classification system for tabulating 

detailed AIAN responses collected through the write-in area. The Census Bureau cannot tell 

people how to respond or what to write in; rather, people tell the Census Bureau about the 

ways in which they self-identify, and the Census Bureau tabulates the data collected and 

disseminates it back to the communities.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 31

In 2010, the AIAN population was 5.2 million, which was 1.7 percent of the overall U.S. 

population. Since 2000, the census has allowed respondents to report multiple races. The 

Census Bureau tabulates data for people who report being one race alone and for people 

who report being a certain race either alone or in combination with other races. By using 

geography to map data, the Census Bureau can provide the entire number of AIANs living 

in a specific area.

Often, reservations contain residents who are not AIAN, so they are tabulated toward the 

overall count of people living within the reservation boundaries, but not toward the count of 

AIANs within the reservation boundaries. Since tribes in Oklahoma have OTSAs instead of 

reservations, the Census Bureau tabulates overall people living within the OTSA, as well as 

the number of AIANs living within the OTSA. If a tribe has citizens living on trust lands that 

are not contained within the OTSA, they may not be counted as living on tribal lands if trust 

lands are not mapped. 

The Census Bureau produces data for AIANs alone or in combination within OTSAs for 

Oklahoma tribes. Statistics that come from the census, such as the number of school-age 

children in a certain area, come from questions in the census questionnaire, but are defined 

by geographic boundary. 

After seeing how population counts can be published for different levels of geography, 

what do you think about mapping tribal trust lands? Would Oklahoma tribes like to have 

population counts for trust lands in addition to OTSAs?

Laura Waggoner

Many Oklahoma tribes have trust lands outside of Oklahoma. If the Census Bureau maps 

tribal trust lands for Oklahoma tribes, the tribes will receive data for their trust lands in 

other states.

Melanie Poulter

Is Oklahoma the only place where this is an issue?

Laura Waggoner

Yes.

Melanie Poulter

Why? Ms. Poulter acknowledged that Oklahoma history differs from other states, but asked 

if there are similar situations elsewhere. 
32 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Vince Osier

Alaska and Oklahoma have always been treated differently, as far as tribal geography. The 

Census Bureau used to designate one monolithic geography for Oklahoma tribes, which 

was basically useless in presenting data for the tribes. In the 1970s, OMB brought together 

different tribes and federal agencies to determine what kinds of geographies would be most 

useful for tribes and tribal geography for Oklahoma was broken into former reservations, or 

OTSAs. If someone drives through Oklahoma, they will see a sign stating they are entering 

Cree Nation lands; even though the tribe does not have a reservation, the lands are still 

known. At that time, there was no apparent need or compelling reason to map tribal trust 

lands for Oklahoma. Records for those trust lands have been difficult to find. No agency 

has successfully mapped Oklahoma tribal trust lands. 

Laura Waggoner

Oklahoma is unique in that none of the federally recognized tribes it contains have 

land bases that are legally documented in the same way as federally recognized tribal 

reservations. Tribes without land bases have unique challenges. 

Tim Olson

If the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes wanted the Census Bureau to map tribal trust lands, would 

the Census Bureau map trust lands within and outside the OTSA?

Vince Osier

Yes, the tribal trust lands are located all over.

Tim Olson

Currently, the Census Bureau can put out data for the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes for the 

OTSA only. If trust lands were added, would the Census Bureau publish statistics for 

the trust lands that are separate from the numbers produced for the OTSA, or would the 

Census Bureau publish a combined count for all of the tribe’s lands? 

Hyon Shin

The Census Bureau has population statistics for Tulsa, OK, and for the encompassing 

county. One does not subtract from the other. Data on the county will include statistics 

for Tulsa and provide a picture of all areas within the county. Similarly, the Census Bureau 

would publish statistics for OTSAs with separate numbers for tribal trust lands, as well as a 

combined count. 

Meredith Gillum

Is that limited by data disclosure? There is a concern about disclosing private information 

about historic tribal areas. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 33

Hyon Shin 

The Census Bureau would vet the collection of the data through the data disclosure review 

board and proceed cautiously in presenting the data. 

Vince Osier

Sample data from the American Community Survey would be suppressed, but for the 

census, data for every geography are released. 

Tim Olson

Clearly, no decision can be made on this issue today, but it was important for the Census 

Bureau to share the concept with tribes, and it will be important for the tribal delegates to 

talk with others in their tribal governments and respond to the Census Bureau with their 

input. The Census Bureau wants to collectively make the right decision for tribes, in the 

spirit of true tribal consultation, to meet tribal needs and map a path forward. 

Amadeo Shije

As a former tribal leader, Mr. Shije expressed his opinions about the potential mapping of 

trust lands. Some tribes will likely be against mapping lands in trust because this concept 

goes against the trust responsibility BIA has to tribes. Some tribes have little reliance on 

BIA, though. If the Census Bureau could determine a process for identifying some of the 

checkerboard trust lands, this would have to be consistent with other areas, such as the 

Navajo Nation Eastern Agency. 

Open Discussion

Allan Barnes 

Mr. Barnes expressed that mapping trust lands seems like a good idea. 

Marquana Chewey

Ms. Chewey agreed with Mr. Barnes. She indicated she would bring the information learned 

at the tribal consultation back to her tribe and remain in contact with the Census Bureau. 

Melanie Poulter

As a frequent census data user, Ms. Poulter agreed that including trust lands would provide 

additional datasets for tribes to use and seems like a good idea.

Dana Butterfield

For the 2010 Census, the Wyandotte Nation worked to educate people about having the 

tribal citizen within the household respond to the census as the head of household since 

the tribe has many mixed race families. Does the census collect basic income information?
34 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Tim Olson

The census long form used to collect income information. Now that only the census short 

form is used, income information is now collected by the American Community Survey, 

which gathers data on an ongoing basis. 

Dana Butterfield

If the census collected income information, mapping trust lands could be beneficial. HUD 

requires a resident to have low or moderate income to qualify for housing. Right now, the 

tribe is responsible for conducting a survey to determine income levels so that information 

can be included when applying for a housing grant. Acquiring that information from the 

census would be helpful. 

There are benefits and challenges in hiring local enumerators. The trust aspect is a benefit; 

tribal citizens are often skeptical of items they receive in the mail and often ask the tribe 

about them, so having a familiar person asking the questions will help gain tribal citizens’ 

trust. The challenge of hiring locally is that the community member who enumerates 

households may inadvertently mention that a certain person lives at a certain location in 

casual conversation, which would have negative consequences if the comment indicated 

overcrowding and the other person worked for the housing authority, for example.

The Wyandotte Nation tribal planner has expressed support for the mapping of tribal trust 

lands. Although Wyandotte trust lands currently do not have homes on them, the mapping 

of these lands will be especially helpful once homes are established there. 

Margaret Anquoe

Reaching people at home in rural Oklahoma can be difficult. For a survey that the Cheyenne 

Arapaho Tribes conducted, a person would sometimes drive 8 or 9 miles in a rural area to 

get to someone’s house to survey them, and that person would not be home. The tribe had 

to restrict the number of home visits to two attempts per home because of the expense 

of driving that distance multiple times. The tribe probably excluded some people from the 

survey because it could not afford to return if no one was home on the first two attempts. 

Prior to 1990, Cheyenne and Arapaho were two separate tribes. There are full-blooded 

citizens of each tribe within the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes. The former reservation was 

5 million acres, but the tribe now owns only 10 thousand acres. The Cheyenne Arapaho 

Tribes census count is always low. 

The tribe needs to know from the Census Bureau how its name will be tabulated in the 2020 

Census. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 35

Kimberly Goodbear

The Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes does a study every five years to collect data for grants. 

Navigating census information to use in the grant applications is difficult. It would help to 

have a button that says “for tribes” that leads to a section including all tribal information 

in one location. Currently, tribal data users have to click back and forth and all over the 

website to obtain the information they need.

Dee Alexander

Currently, the Census Bureau is working on an app called My Tribal Area that will present 

tribal ACS data. The app will likely be available in November 2016. The Census Bureau will 

notify the tribes when it is available.

Susana Privett

Ms. Privett offered to meet with the Cheyenne Arapaho Tribes to assist in quickly accessing 

the needed data.

Kimberly Goodbear

Does the Census Bureau conduct training sessions for tribes?

Susana Privett

Yes, the Census Bureau is happy to do what is needed.

Melanie Poulter

Census information centers also do data trainings for tribes. These are held in Oklahoma 

City and Tulsa, or the staff can visit tribes. 

Rosezella Mayfield

The most important thing is for tribal delegates to talk to people and share the purpose and 

importance of the census. 

Dee Alexander

As part of the lead-up to the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will send letters to the 

leadership of each tribe requesting them to appoint tribal government liaisons to bridge 

communication between the tribe and the Census Bureau. 
36 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

One-on-One Discussions: Census Bureau Geography Staff and Tribal 

Delegates

Geographers from the Census Bureau met one-on-one with each of the tribes represented 

at the tribal consultation to discuss individual geographic boundaries, answer questions, 

and gather information needed to research geography solutions for the 2020 Census. The 

group then reconvened and each of the Census Bureau geographers summarized what had 

been discussed.

Joshua Coutts

Mr. Coutts met with Allan Barnes of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. They discussed the 

unique situation of the Cherokee OTSA in Oklahoma’s upper northwest corner, since the 

Delaware Tribe of Indians has signed an agreement with the Cherokee Nation regarding the 

area. Mr. Barnes provided the Census Bureau with some map updates.

Wendy Hawley

Ms. Hawley met with Marquana Chewey of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee 

Indians. They also discussed the Cherokee OTSA. Ultimately, the tribe does not currently 

have any tribal trust lands. They discussed the pros and cons of mapping trust lands. 

Vince Osier

Mr. Osier met with Dana Butterfield of the Wyandotte Nation. Ms. Butterfield expressed to 

Mr. Osier that larger tribes with OTSAs might be more likely to take issue with the mapping 

of tribal trust lands. She indicated that mapping trust lands would be beneficial for tribal 

data users. Another topic they discussed was the effect turnover in tribal leadership might 

have on any decision made on mapping trust lands.

Susana Privett 

Ms. Privett met with Rosezella Mayfield of the Alabama Quassarte Tribal Town and shared 

with her what kinds of data and data use training the Census Bureau can provide. 

Laura Waggoner 

Ms. Waggoner met with Margaret Anquoe and Kimberly Goodbear of the Cheyenne 

Arapaho Tribes. Ms. Anquoe further explained her concerns about historical sites and trust 

lands. Some tribal sites may contain historical burials and collections. There are sometimes 

other uses for trust lands and the tribe does not wish for others to know about those 

locations or uses. Even without saying exactly how trust lands are used by a tribe, mapping 

those lands highlights that something is there. Further discussions need to be had about 

whether to publish this information.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix A • 37

CLOSING REMARKS

Wrap-Up, Overview, Clarification, and Next Steps

Cathy Lacy 

The Census Bureau Denver Region will continue to work with Oklahoma tribes. Another 

tribal consultation with Oklahoma tribes will be held on November 21. There is also a tribal 

consultation open to all tribes that covers additional topics in Chandler, AZ, on November 

17 and 18. 

Allan Barnes

The Delaware Tribe will encourage all tribal citizens to respond to the census and will 

encourage those with dual tribal citizenship to write in detailed responses and ensure they 

are counted toward the Delaware Tribe in addition to any others. 

Cathy Lacy

The Census Bureau will approach each tribe and request that the leadership appoint a 

tribal liaison to ensure census information is filtered to the right person. The Census Bureau 

understands that tribal leaders deal with a lot of information, and the liaison will help ensure 

important messages about the census reach tribal leadership. 

[Susana Privett demonstrated how to access census data for tribal areas.]

The American FactFinder website3 offers various approaches for accessing tribal data 

and allows users to locate specific datasets by topic. 

The Community Facts section of the website provides quick, commonly requested data for 

certain areas. Data users should choose the Advanced Search option to take steps to find 

specific data. Users should search by geography first, rather than by topic, because there 

might not be data for detailed geographies for certain topics.

Laura Waggoner 

The newest datasets are listed first, so ACS data appear first. To access 2010 Census data, 

the user will have to scroll further down the list. 

3 Visit the American FactFinder website at http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
38 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Susana Privett

Ms. Privett can walk tribal data users through the process of accessing data over the 

phone, via email, or in person. If data users are looking for a dataset the Census Bureau 

does not appear to have, data users should ask the Census Bureau because someone else 

may collect the data, or there may be another way to obtain it.

Dee Alexander

The Census Bureau will maintain contact with the tribes who attended. Ms. Alexander 

thanked the attendees. 

Tim Olson

Mr. Olson expressed that he enjoyed the dialogue and appreciated the input. He thanked 

everyone for attending and concluded the meeting. 

ACTION ITEMS

u The Census Bureau Geography Division will look into the issue of designating 

geographies for Oklahoma tribes that do not have former reservations and, thus, 

cannot have OTSAs.

u The Census Bureau will notify tribes when the My Tribal Area app is available for 

download. Right now, it is projected to be done in November 2016.

u All tribal consultation registrants will receive a summary of the meeting about three 

weeks after the meeting.

u All tribal consultation registrants will receive a copy of the final report, which will 

cover both rounds of tribal consultation and will be published in June 2017.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 39

Appendix B: Meeting Notes from the 

2020 Census Tribal Consultation in 

Shawnee, OK

The Grand Casino Hotel and Resort, Shawnee, OK

Monday, November 21, 2016, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

ATTENDEES

Tribes represented: 14

Tribal delegates in attendance: 25

Tribal Delegates

u Caleen Bolin, Tribal Registration Supervisor, Cherokee Nation

u Christine Brinkman, Technical Assistant, Comanche Nation

u Joshua Castleman, GIS Analyst, Muscogee (Creek) Nation

u Mickey Douglas, Director, Environmental Protection Office, Seminole Nation of 

Oklahoma

u Tamara Francis-Fourkiller, Chairman, Caddo Nation

u Jodi Hayes, Tribal Administrator, Shawnee Tribe

u Jackie Jackson, Planning Director, Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians

u Rosaura Jimenez, Enrollment Director, Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

u Melissa Jones, Senior Director of Enrollment, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

u Stephen Lee, Realty Specialist, Comanche Nation

u Patty Leemhuis, Enrollment Specialist, Caddo Nation

u Gavin McCarty-Glass, Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation Coordinator, 

Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma

u Heather McKinney, Director for Vocational Rehabilitation, Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma

u Jellene Morehead, Self-Governance Director, Sac and Fox Nation

u Kim Morris, Grant Writer, Quapaw Nation of Oklahoma

u Palmer Mosely, Executive Officer, Tribal Enrollment and Self-Governance Office, 

Chickasaw Nation
40 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

u Shannon Nagel, Director of Grants, Comanche Nation

u David Pacheco, Chairman, Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma

u Brad Peltier, Executive Operations Coordinator, Citizen Potawatomi Nation

u Barbara Ramos, Education Director, Sac and Fox Nation

u Marilyn Threlkeld, Council Member, Caddo Nation

u Lucy Wabaunasee, Caddo Nation

u Debbie Wright, Self-Governance Specialist, Sac and Fox Nation

u Dennis Woommavovah, Realty Director, Comanche Nation

u Margaret Zientek, Assistant Director for Employment and Training, Citizen 

Potawatomi Nation

Census Bureau Staff

Headquarters

u Dee Alexander, Tribal Affairs Coordinator, Office of Congressional and 

Intergovernmental Affairs

u Akenabah Begay, Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist, Office of Congressional and 

Intergovernmental Affairs

u Joshua Coutts; Geographer; Geographic Standards, Criteria and Quality Branch; 

Geography Division

u Wendy Hawley; Geographer; Partnership, Communication, and Outreach Branch; 

Geography Division

u Vince Osier; Branch Chief; Geographic Standards, Criteria and Quality Branch; 

Geography Division

u Hyon B. Shin, Chief, Racial Statistics Branch, Population Division

u Jeffrey Tamburello, Demographic Statistician, Racial Statistics Branch, Population 

Division

u Laura Waggoner; Assistant Division Chief for Geographic Partnerships, Data 

Collection, and Products; Geography Division

Denver Regional Office

u Mark Hellfritz, Assistant Regional Census Manager

u Cathy Lacy, Denver Regional Director

u Vicki McIntire, Assistant Regional Director

u Susana Privett, Data Dissemination Specialist

u Amadeo Shije, Tribal Partnership Specialist

u Fred Stevens, Tribal Partnership Specialist
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 41

Other Attendees

u Steve Beleu, Federal Government Information Specialist, Oklahoma Department of 

Libraries

u Jason Curley, Communications Specialist, Kauffman & Associates, Inc.

u Jennifer Gillissen, Director of Meeting and Event Planning, Kauffman & Associates, 

Inc.

u Katie Terra, Technical Writer, Kauffman & Associates, Inc.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Welcome

Jennifer Gillissen

Ms. Gillissen welcomed the attendees to the tribal consultation. 

Opening Ceremonies

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Color Guard presented the colors.

Brad Peltier of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation provided the opening prayer.

Opening Remarks

Cathy Lacy

The regional offices form the Census Bureau’s implementation arm. Regional staff work 

in the field, day in and day out, conducting Census Bureau surveys. The Denver Regional 

Office covers 12 states and 113 tribal nations. 

Ms. Lacy expressed that this tribal consultation is important to the Census Bureau and to 

her personally because counting everyone is critically important. She thanked the Citizen 

Potawatomi Nation for hosting the tribal consultation and thanked the tribal delegates for 

attending. 

This tribal consultation is intended to be a dialogue. The Census Bureau will provide up-todate information to tribal delegates on planning for the 2020 Census and wants to gather 

tribal input to incorporate into those plans. 
42 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

This is the 18th tribal consultation the Census Bureau has held in preparation for the 2020 

Census. The tribal consultation process began with a series of eight consultations and a 

national webinar in fall 2015 through spring 2016. The Census Bureau has been conducting 

a second round of tribal consultations this fall. In tribal consultations leading up to the 2010 

Census, the Census Bureau received feedback that it was too late to incorporate tribal 

input into the planning. The Census Bureau began the tribal consultation process two years 

earlier than was done in the lead-up to the 2010 Census. This is the final tribal consultation 

in the second round, but this is not the end of the consultation process. The Census Bureau 

will now move toward one-on-one tribal consultations between regional offices and tribes. 

Ms. Lacy encouraged the tribal delegates to provide any future feedback to Dee Alexander.

So far, the Census Bureau has gathered much helpful information from the tribal 

consultations. A few of the valuable insights the Census Bureau has learned so far include 

Facebook being a good vehicle for raising awareness of the census among tribal citizens, 

and that not everyone has connectivity to complete the census online. The Census Bureau 

plans for Internet response to be the primary mode of response for the 2020 Census, but 

acknowledges that one broad approach does not work everywhere. The Census Bureau 

wants to have dialogue with tribes to understand the best way to share the message about 

the census to their tribal citizens and to understand the best way to enumerate tribal lands.

Census data provide the power of representation and knowledge. It also allows adequate 

funding to flow back to the community. 

In the tribal consultations leading up to the 2010 Census, some tribal delegates suggested 

that the Census Bureau collect tribal enrollment data. At that point, it was too late to 

test and implement such a question, so the Census Bureau committed to investigate it 

for the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau also received requests for the data from HUD 

and other federal agencies. The Census Bureau will test a question on tribal enrollment 

status for those who respond to the race question as being American Indian and Alaska 

Native (AIAN), but the Census Bureau has heard strongly throughout the 2020 Census 

tribal consultations that gathering tribal enrollment data is not the federal government’s 

responsibility. The National Congress of American Indians published a resolution opposing 

the inclusion of a question on tribal enrollment in the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau 

does not plan to include this question on the 2020 Census, but will continue with the 

testing that was planned, to ensure information exists on the feasibility of collecting tribal 

enrollment information through a census context, to inform potential future requests. 

The Census Bureau plans to conduct in-person enumeration where other response options 

do not work, such as many rural tribal lands, and wants to work with tribes to understand 

the approach that best fits their unique situations. Amadeo Shije and Fred Stevens are 

Census Bureau Tribal Partnership Specialists who will communicate with tribes.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 43

Brad Peltier

Mr. Peltier welcomed everyone to the meeting on behalf of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s 

chairman and vice chairman. He thanked the Census Bureau for working to inform tribes 

about the plans for the 2020 Census. He reported a recent experience that put into 

perspective the importance of the census for tribes. At a tribal energy conference the 

previous week, he spoke with tribal representatives whose tribes had as few as 140 citizen. 

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has about 32 thousand citizens, and interacting with small 

tribes reminded him of the importance of ensuring the census counts everyone. The Census 

Bureau’s work is often thankless, but priceless.

[The Census Bureau played a short video with welcoming remarks from U.S. 

Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.]

Secretary Pritzker thanked tribal leadership for attending the consultation and working with 

the Census Bureau to develop the 2020 Census. When Secretary Pritzker visited Indian 

Country recently, tribal leaders expressed how critical it is to gather accurate data from 

AIAN communities during the next decennial census. The Census Bureau is conducting a 

series of tribal consultation meetings to elicit tribal input.

In 2013, the Department of Commerce finalized its tribal consultation and coordination 

policy, which establishes how the Department works with federally recognized tribes. The 

policy allows the Department to capitalize on the immense value tribal consultation brings 

to the decision-making process. While the consultation process was valuable in the leadup to the 2010 Census, it was clear the Census Bureau needed more time to prepare. For 

the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau has begun the tribal consultation process two years 

earlier. 

No other department rivals the reach, depth, and breadth of the Department of Commerce 

data programs. Census data affect policymaking at all levels and has the power to move 

markets. The decennial census is the largest civilian mobilization effort in the nation and 

a constitutional requirement. In 2020, the Census Bureau will have a few short months to 

count the over 320 million people in the United States. The Census Bureau needs help from 

tribes to better serve and gather accurate information from AIAN communities. The Census 

Bureau needs to hear concerns and suggestions from tribal leadership and needs these 

leaders to encourage their tribal citizens to respond to the census.
44 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Overview of the Agenda

Dee Alexander

It is important to the Census Bureau to meet with Oklahoma tribes to discuss their unique 

geography situations.

The Census Bureau released a new app on November 22, 2016, called My Tribal Area. The 

app pulls five-year estimates from the American Community Survey to display information 

by tribal geography. This release was a soft launch, and the Census Bureau would like tribal 

feedback. The Census Bureau will do a final release of the app in December or January.

A final report covering both rounds of 2020 Census tribal consultations will be released 

in June 2017. All tribal consultation registrants will receive a copy. Registrants will also 

receive a summary of this tribal consultation two to three weeks after the meeting. 

The goals of this tribal consultation are to:

u create open, two-way communication between tribal governments and the Census 

Bureau;

u gather tribal input and information needed to move forward with planning the 2020 

Census; 

u record and address outcomes, issues, and recommendations; and

u clarify census geography and population statistics as they relate to Oklahoma 

tribes.

Ms. Alexander reviewed the day’s agenda. She encouraged the tribal delegates to contact 

her office with any questions or comments.

PRESENTATIONS, DISCUSSION, AND TESTIMONY

Introductions and Open Discussion

The tribal delegates introduced themselves and made some additional comments at this 

time, which are included below. 

Jellene Morehead 

Every year, the Sac and Fox Nation creates a labor force report to submit to the Department 

of Interior, and Ms. Morehead uses census numbers to compile the report, but feels they 

are inaccurate. Tribes need to have more accurate data for use in the federal reports they 

are required to compile. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 45

Kim Morris 

Ms. Morris worked on the 2010 Census in a planning and coordinating capacity.

Dennis Woommavovah

Mr. Woommavovah has worked with the census before, doing mapping for a city.

Margaret Zientek

Ms. Zientek was the census tribal liaison for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation for the 2010 

Census. She worked as an enumerator for the 2000 Census.

Steve Beleu

Mr. Beleu has been working with the census since 1980 and offers free workshops on how 

to access and use census data. 

Overview of the Planning for the 2020 Census 

Purpose of the 2020 Census 

Laura Waggoner 

The purpose of the decennial census is to conduct a census of the population and housing 

and disseminate the results to the U.S. president, the states, and the American people. 

Census counts are used to determine apportionment. The U.S. Constitution mandates a 

decennial census. Individuals are counted within housing units, and details are collected 

about the housing unit. Census data are used for apportionment and to draw congressional 

and legislative districts, voting precincts, and school districts; enforce voting and civil 

rights legislation; distribute federal funding; inform tribal, state, federal, and local planning; 

and inform decisions by businesses and nonprofit organizations. 

Current Progress

The Census Bureau began 2020 Census tribal consultation in fall 2015, two years earlier 

than was done for the previous decade, to allow sufficient time to incorporate tribal input 

into plans. The initial round of tribal consultation concluded in April 2016. The Census 

Bureau began a second round of tribal consultation, of which this consultation is a part, 

in September 2016. The 2020 Census tribal consultations have provided much valuable 

insight. For example, tribal leaders have commented on connectivity issues in their areas 

and many have expressed that Internet self-response is currently not a viable response 

option for their areas. Many tribal delegates have also emphasized the importance of hiring 

local enumerators. This input has been tremendously helpful in planning the census end-toend test, which will essentially be a dress rehearsal for the 2020 Census.

The Census Bureau is transitioning from the planning phase into the research and building 

phase for the 2020 Census. 
46 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Some of the milestones achieved so far are listed below.

u In October 2015, the Census Bureau released the 2020 Census operational plan 

three years earlier than was done in the previous decade. The plan contains details 

for how the Census Bureau plans to conduct the 2020 Census. It describes design 

concepts and rationales and identifies decisions that still need to be made. The 

Census Bureau released a new version of the plan this fall and will likely revise it 

every year leading up to the 2020 Census. The operational plan4 is available online. 

The Census Bureau can also mail copies to those who do not have Internet access. 

u In 2016, the Census Bureau posted the Census Memorandum Series5 online. The 

series documents major decisions, actions, or accomplishments as short summaries 

so all stakeholders can easily see updated information.

u The Census Bureau also posted a Federal Register Notice seeking public comment 

on the 2010 Census residence criteria in May 2015. A summary of the comments 

was published in February 2016. In June 2016, the Census Bureau published 

proposed residence rules for the 2020 Census and received over 77 thousand 

comments during the 60-day comment period, mostly concerning where to count 

prisoners and overseas military personnel. The Census Bureau plans to issue final 

residence criteria in late 2016.

u In December 2015, the Census Bureau kicked off the Redistricting Data Program, 

which involves Census Bureau staff visiting state data centers to discuss the 2020 

Census plans.

Design of the 2020 Census

The 2020 Census has the potential to be the most innovative census yet. The Census 

Bureau is committed to conducting the 2020 Census at a lower cost per housing unit while 

maintaining the quality of the data collected. The overarching goal of the 2020 Census 

remains the same from previous decennial censuses: count everyone once, only once, and 

in the right place. The design of the 2020 Census has focused on innovations for the four 

major cost drivers of the census. These innovation areas include: 

u reengineering address canvassing,

u optimizing self-response,

u using administrative records and third-party data, and

u reengineering field operations.

4 View the Operational Plan at http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/

planning-management/planning-docs/operational-plan.html

5 Access the Census Memorandum Series at http://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/planning-management/memo-series.html
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 47

Foundational Tasks

The Census Bureau has designed technology to help transform four tasks that have acted 

as the foundation of past censuses, still exist today, and will likely exist in the future. The 

foundational tasks include:

u establishing where to count,

u motivating people to respond,

u counting the population, and

u releasing the census results. 

Establishing Where to Count

Establishing where to count means identifying all addresses where people live or could 

live to develop a complete and accurate address list that will serve as a basis for reaching 

the population and motivating people to respond. For the 2010 Census, the address list 

was updated as part of a large, in-field effort in which field staff traveled every road in 

the United States and Puerto Rico. For the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will again 

conduct a 100 percent review and update of the list, but will use updated methods that 

combine in-office and in-field review. The in-office review will involve obtaining information 

from the U.S. Postal Service, aerial imagery, commercial databases and other third-party 

sources, and files provided to the Census Bureau by tribal, state, and local governments. 

Tribal governments will have the opportunity to review the address list directly and provide 

updates through the Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS) and the Local Update of 

Census Addresses (LUCA). Where reliable third-party data sources are unavailable, 

unattainable, or in areas undergoing significant or rapid change, the Census Bureau will 

send people into the field to update the list.

Motivating People to Respond

To encourage people to respond to the census, the Census Bureau will conduct a 

nationwide partnership and communications program and build on lessons learned from 

the 2010 communications campaign. The Census Bureau will maximize outreach using 

a mix of traditional and new media to connect with audiences, target ads to specific 

audiences, and coordinate with tribal government liaisons who are key partners in ensuring 

effective outreach to increase participation in the census. Tribal liaisons will work with tribal 

government officials, tribal planners, tribal and local agency staff, and Census Bureau staff 

in designing optimal outreach.
48 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Counting the Population

The goal of the census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place. 

This process includes counting those in group and unique living situations. For the 2010 

Census, paper questionnaires were the primary method for responding to the census. They 

were either mailed or hand-delivered to households by Census Bureau enumerators. 

For the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will simplify self-response by encouraging most 

people to respond online. The higher the self-response rate, the fewer in-person followups will be needed. In-person enumeration is one of the costliest aspects of the census. 

However, paper questionnaires and in-person enumeration will still be used in places where 

online response is not feasible and as follow-up to nonresponse households. Responding 

over the phone will also be an option. The telephone centers will staff operators who speak 

different languages. For follow-up enumeration with non-response households, the Census 

Bureau will use administrative records provided by the U.S. Postal Service to identify 

vacant housing units and remove them from the follow-up workload. Administrative records 

can also be used to determine the best time of day to visit certain addresses. If high-quality 

data from multiple trusted sources are available, the Census Bureau will enumerate nonresponse households using that information.

Releasing the Results

Upon completion of data collection, the Census Bureau will process and tabulate the 

results and deliver apportionment counts to the U.S. president by December 31, 2020. 

Important Dates

Key milestones the Census Bureau needs to achieve between now and 2020 are as follows.

u Question topics to be included on the census form must be submitted to Congress 

by April 2017.

u In 2018, the Census Bureau will conduct an end-to-end test, which will test the 

systems planned for use in the 2020 Census. 

u Specific question wording must be delivered to Congress by April 2018.

u Partnership efforts are beginning now, and the AIAN Partnership Program will fully 

launch in 2019.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 49

Geography Discussion

Vince Osier 

The Census Bureau Geography Division requested a special tribal consultation with 

Oklahoma tribes since geographies for those tribes differ from other tribes in the country. 

The Census Bureau is the largest employer of geographers in the federal government. 

To use census data, a data user must first determine for what geographic area they 

want data. The Geography Division pieces this information together and provides it to 

other departments at the Census Bureau so they can develop field operations based on 

geographies and tabulate data for individual geographies.

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas

The Census Bureau maps two types of areas for tribal geography: legal areas and statistical 

areas. Legal areas are geographic areas with legally defined boundaries, such as federally 

recognized reservations. Statistical areas are only used to create census data. Tribes 

without trust lands or reservations can sometimes define statistical areas within which to 

count their populations.

The Census Bureau maps reservations and off-reservation trust lands for many other 

tribes, but the Census Bureau does not currently have information on any legal boundaries 

for Oklahoma tribes, so the Census Bureau designates a special geography for them 

called Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas (OTSAs). The purpose of OTSAs is to give tribes 

meaningful data about the people who live on their lands. OTSAs were created to represent 

former reservation boundaries that existed in Oklahoma when statehood occurred in 1907. 

The Census Bureau worked with tribes and other federal agencies to determine how to map 

useful geographies for Oklahoma tribes and learned that the former reservations retained 

strong geographic meaning in Oklahoma. There are some special rules and regulations 

that affect OTSAs. For example, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a special tax for 

businesses located on former reservations, so the Census Bureau was asked to provide 

data for those areas.

Oklahoma Tribal Trust Lands

The Census Bureau would like to gather input from Oklahoma tribes on whether it should 

map Oklahoma tribal trust lands. The Census Bureau has received some requests for this 

information from other federal agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency requested 

the allotments for Oklahoma tribal trust lands to use under the Clean Air and Clean Water 

regulations. The Department of Transportation passed legislation that required Oklahoma 

tribes to provide data specifically for their trust areas to apply for federal funding for 
50 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

transportation. Mapping tribal trust lands would open data for those trust areas to the 

general public and especially to federal agencies. The Census Bureau would like to know if 

mapping these lands would provide useful data for tribes.

As an example, the Census Bureau maps the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana as a whole, 

and also maps cities and unincorporated towns. The Census Bureau provides separate 

population counts for each of these cities or towns, and also provides a count for the 

reservation as a whole. If the Census Bureau mapped tribal trust lands, OTSAs would be 

analogous to the reservation in this example, and trust lands analogous to the cities. Tribes 

would receive counts for the trust lands in addition to counts for the OTSAs, as well as 

an overall count that combines the tribe’s statistical and legal geographies. A common 

misconception is that overlapping geographic areas detract from the other. They can be 

tabulated separately from the whole without detracting from the total count.

Mapping OTSAs and tribal trust lands is just one possible solution, and the Census Bureau 

would like to hear feedback and suggestions from tribes. The Census Bureau recently 

conducted another tribal consultation in Tulsa that was specific to Oklahoma tribes and 

most of them thought mapping tribal trust lands for Oklahoma tribes could be a benefit to 

the tribes.

Census Bureau Geography Programs

OTSA boundaries do not change in the same way that reservations do, so the Census 

Bureau requests that Oklahoma tribes provide updates to their geographic boundaries 

once per decade through the Participant Statistical Areas Program (PSAP). If the Census 

Bureau maps tribal trust lands, the Census Bureau would ask Oklahoma tribes to begin 

participating in the Boundary Annexation Survey (BAS), an annual geography program 

through which tribes can review and update their geographic boundaries. This is important 

to ensure that when Census Bureau field workers go out to conduct the census or other 

Census Bureau surveys, they know when they are entering tribal lands. Mapping trust lands 

would also make Oklahoma tribes eligible to participate in the Local Update of Census 

Addresses (LUCA), through which tribes can review and provide updates for the Census 

Bureau’s address list for their tribal lands. The Census Bureau proposes to continue 

tabulating data for OTSAs, and to map tribal trust lands for Oklahoma tribes. These two 

geographies would not subtract from one another.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 51

Discussion

Vince Osier 

What do you think about the Census Bureau mapping trust lands for Oklahoma tribes? 

Would this provide useful data for tribes?

Margaret Zientek

Mapping tribal trust lands would be helpful for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Some 

Oklahoma tribes have trust lands within the OTSAs recognized for other tribes. The Census 

Bureau can only map the tribal trust lands they have on record, so tribes would need to 

regularly update this information for this approach to work. Ms. Zientek noted that some 

tribes did not appear to be represented on the map of Oklahoma that the Census Bureau 

brought to the tribal consultation. 

Brad Peltier

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation has a robust geographic information system (GIS) 

department. For tribes fortunate enough to have a GIS expert on staff, those files are 

always evolving and being updated from month to month. Will the Census Bureau provide 

maps online that tribal GIS departments can update frequently?

Laura Waggoner

Through the BAS, the Census Bureau contacts tribes annually and requests that they 

update their tribal boundaries. Data are available online for tribes to download. The Census 

Bureau asks for supporting documentation for any updates made to the files. If the tribe 

does not have documentation, the Census Bureau will approach BIA to request it, but 

prefers to work directly with tribes on a government-to-government basis. 

Dee Alexander

The Census Bureau Geography Division needs to know who to contact within each tribe 

regarding geography programs. Notifications sent to tribal leadership often are forgotten 

and not shared with the tribal geography experts. Ms. Alexander requested that the tribes 

in attendance provide the Census Bureau with contact information for their designated 

geography experts.

Vince Osier

The Wyandotte Nation and Fort Sill Apache Tribe at least have trust lands in other parts of 

the country. The Census Bureau maps those lands as being associated with those tribes, 

so a map of tribal areas in the United States would show those areas.
52 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Palmer Mosely

The Chickasaw Nation has land transitioning in and out of trust all the time. Tracking 

that information for federal agencies would be a huge effort for the tribe’s geographic 

information system (GIS) staff. What is the ultimate benefit for the Census Bureau in having 

information on tribal trust lands? 

Vince Osier 

Having that information is only a benefit to the Census Bureau if it benefits tribes. If tribes 

would like to have ACS and census data tabulated for these areas specifically, the Census 

Bureau must first map the geography. 

Palmer Mosely

All tribes in Oklahoma differ from one another. The five civilized tribes (a widely used term in 

Oklahoma; refers to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee [Creek], and Seminole 

Nations) have restricted lands, which are the same as trust lands except that the title is 

held differently. The trust lands of these tribes are more populated in western Oklahoma 

than in eastern Oklahoma. Having data on tribal trust lands would be helpful, but tracking 

the information would be very difficult. In other parts of the country, tribal trust lands have 

usually been in trust for a long time, and residents on those lands have lived there for a 

long time. However, this is not the case in Oklahoma. 

Vince Osier 

Through the BAS, the Census Bureau aims to collect data on lands that are in trust status 

as of January 1. At best, the Census Bureau could provide an annual snapshot of the 

boundaries and populations of trust lands at a specific point in time, but would not be able 

to provide constantly current data due to the rapidly changing nature of tribal trust lands. 

An accurate snapshot would only be possible if tribes provided updated information on 

their trust lands to the Census Bureau. 

Laura Waggoner

The Census Bureau does not currently capture data for fee-based trust lands, since those 

lands constantly transition in and out of that status. The Census Bureau could explore the 

possibility of mapping this type of land if tribes would like. 

Palmer Mosely

Restricted lands have the same benefits of trust lands, and although the titles are held 

differently, restricted lands and trust lands have the same status. Based on this, the Census 

Bureau should treat restricted lands in the same manner it treats trust lands. According to 

a recent map produced by the tribe in working with the current land buyback program in 

Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation appears to have more people living on restricted lands 

than on trust lands, so if trust lands are mapped, restricted lands should be mapped, as 

well, to provide data on the populations living there. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 53

Vince Osier 

The Census Bureau has not been able to obtain guidance from DOI or BIA on how to know 

when land is in restricted status. 

Palmer Mosely

There are unique laws from hundreds of years ago that affect the five civilized tribes today. 

For the five civilized tribes, but not for other Oklahoma tribes, the restricted status drops 

off if an American Indian inherits a restricted property. A one-acre parcel of land may have 

200 American Indian owners, but to determine whether the tribe or state has jurisdiction 

over that area, it must first be determined how many of those heirs have a blood quantum 

of 50 percent or higher. Mr. Mosely reported that he used to work in law enforcement, and 

once, when a crime occurred on restricted lands, it took nearly a week to determine who 

had jurisdiction over the case. The Chickasaw Nation is made up of three tribes, and has 

properties of those three tribes. 

Vince Osier 

The Census Bureau would only map lands that fall under tribal jurisdiction, not state 

jurisdiction. 

Marilyn Threlkeld

Some tribes will not want to give out information about their trust lands.

Margaret Zientek

As Mr. Mosely mentioned, law enforcement is cross-deputized in these areas, so law 

enforcement officers from all possible jurisdictions arrive and determine who has 

jurisdiction upon arrival. Having a record of mapped trust lands, even if it is only a 

snapshot in time, would be helpful in determining who has jurisdiction over a certain area. 

Unfortunately, the important thing to consider is how the data would be used, which is 

something the Census Bureau cannot control. A funding formula that was previously used 

factored in the amount of land in trust for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation and three other 

nearby tribes, which made applying for those funds difficult for the Citizen Potawatomi 

Nation.

Palmer Mosely

Nothing is easy in Indian Country, and there is no perfect template, but the Census Bureau 

and tribes need to determine a better way to look at the tribal population separately from 

tribal land mass. Mr. Mosely recommended that the Census Bureau continue using OTSAs. 

If trust lands could me mapped and kept up to date, this would be helpful, but would pose 

a significant challenge. 
54 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Brad Peltier

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation enrollment and housing departments are the best resource 

for information on the tribe’s trust lands. Sometimes, tribes do not want the location of 

their trust lands to be widely known. One reason for that is that this knowledge can drive 

up real estate prices. In 2000, an acre of land in the area could be purchased for less than 

a thousand dollars. However, tribal development of successful casinos and resorts has 

altered the market, and the price of surrounding real estate has spiked significantly, which 

causes problems for the tribe, as well. 

Jackie Jackson

Is the Census Bureau asking for information about tribally owned trust land or individually 

owned trust land? 

Vince Osier

The Census Bureau would ask for information on both land types, as long as the tribe has 

jurisdiction over the land. Since an individual owner would likely be a tribal citizen, the land 

would still be associated with and tabulated toward the tribe.

Jackie Jackson

Will the Census Bureau partner with BIA to map trust lands? This is tribes’ private 

information about their own lands. If the Census Bureau gathers this information, it would 

be published for others to view. Each tribe knows where its tribally owned trust lands 

are. If the tribes are being asked to inform the Census Bureau about the locations of their 

trust lands, the tribe clearly already has this information. How does the Census Bureau’s 

collection of the data assist tribes?

Vince Osier 

The data would be returned to the tribe for tribal use, but would also be available to other 

data users—specifically, federal funding authorities—to inform funding allocation and 

decision making. However, mapping tribal trust lands is only a suggestion, and the Census 

Bureau is aware that tribes may not want the Census Bureau to move forward with it. 

Jackie Jackson

Tribes know where all tribally owned trust lands are, so for the Census Bureau to publish 

that information so the general public can see the locations of tribal trust lands on a map 

does not seem like a benefit. Tribes may not know the location of all allotments owned by 

individuals, but can work with BIA to determine this. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 55

Laura Waggoner 

In January 2016, the Census Bureau, BIA, and DOI established a memorandum of 

understanding on how to exchange data. The Census Bureau has been talking to BIA 

and DOI about how to obtain documentation for individually owned trust lands if the 

Census Bureau were to map these lands. Understandably, there is hesitation to share 

these documents. However, the Census Bureau would not need to know the individual’s 

name, only the tribe with which he or she is affiliated. The individual’s name could be 

blacked out prior to sharing the documentation. The Census Bureau hopes to review all 

federally recognized tribal trust lands located outside Oklahoma with BIA by late 2018. To 

review trust lands in Oklahoma, the Census Bureau would prefer to work with tribes in a 

government-to-government capacity, but this is up to the tribes’ choosing.

Jackie Jackson

The Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians does not maintain records on individually owned lands. 

They can obtain that information from BIA if it is needed. Tribally owned trust lands usually 

contain a tribe’s offices, businesses, and schools, but not homes. The only homes the 

Census Bureau will encounter on Otoe-Missouria tribal trust lands are located on restricted 

lands. There are different levels of trust, such as business, gaming, and individual trust. 

Laura Waggoner 

This is helpful information. The Census Bureau is trying to determine if mapping any of 

these lands would be important or helpful for tribes. Many federal agencies require tribes to 

apply for grants according to census boundaries, and the Census Bureau is unsure whether 

the lack of data on tribal trust lands falls short of tribal data needs in applying for some 

grants. 

Jackie Jackson

It is true that census data do not necessarily meet tribal needs. Ms. Jackson explained 

that when she uses census data, she first refers to tribal enrollment records to determine 

the number of tribal citizens in each county. She then has to look at county-level data for 

multiple counties and compare that information against the tribe’s records to calculate 

citizenship data for her tribe. Census data have not helped her much as a data user 

because it fails to capture specific data on AIANs in the context of Oklahoma’s unique 

situation.

Lucy Wabaunasee

Ms. Wabaunasee expressed concern that publishing information on tribal trust lands would 

not benefit tribes or AIAN allotment owners. Within the Caddo Nation are the Wichita, 

Caddo, and Delaware Tribes. Individuals who own allotments may be from any of the 

three tribes, and there will not be agreement across individual heirs about whether these 

lands should be mapped and their boundaries published. The Census Bureau should not 

map these lands without notifying the individual owners, and will not be able to obtain the 

consent of all owners. What is the exact purpose of mapping restricted lands? 
56 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Laura Waggoner 

The Census Bureau wants to do whatever it can to meet each tribe’s data needs. If a tribe 

does not want the Census Bureau to map its trust lands, the Census Bureau will not do so 

for that tribe, but may map trust lands for any tribes that do want those areas mapped. It 

is not a case of one size fits all. The purpose of mapping restricted lands is so the Census 

Bureau can disseminate data on those specific areas back to the tribes and to federal 

agencies to help with planning and the procurement of adequate funding. For some grants, 

tribes need to present data specifically on trust lands, and because the Census Bureau 

has not mapped these geographies, it cannot provide data for those areas. The Census 

Bureau is offering a mechanism for tribes to have additional data they may need to apply 

for funding, but if a tribe does not need the data, and if publishing the data would hurt the 

tribe, the Census Bureau will not map trust lands for that tribe. 

Kim Morris

Different grants cover different service areas. To apply for these grants, tribes must present 

the exact population of that specific service area. Is it possible for the Census Bureau to 

map service areas? 

Laura Waggoner 

Since there are many variations and uses of tribal service areas, the Census Bureau cannot 

map them. Different agencies define service areas in different ways, so it would be difficult 

to designate a consistent geography that produces accurate data for each definition. 

However, tribes can designate statistical areas to capture counts for off-reservation places 

with concentrations of tribal citizens or for specific locations within tribal lands.

Tamara Francis-Fourkiller

Too often, the Caddo Nation has been lumped into a category with other tribes. All tribal 

citizens are Native Americans, but they are also citizens of sovereign tribal nations, each 

of which is unique. Many Oklahoma tribes are Plains tribes, but the Caddo Nation is not. 

The Caddo Nation’s history is more similar to South American tribal history than the history 

of Plains tribes. To inquire about the tribe’s land base, the Census Bureau should consult 

with the Caddo Nation one-on-one. The tribe, as a sovereign nation, should not be required 

to travel to a meeting with other tribes to obtain this information. The Census Bureau is 

asking for information that should be requested on an individual basis with each tribe. 

Each tribe represented at the tribal consultation is a sovereign nation. They should be 

treated in the same way that representatives of foreign nations would be treated. Instead 

of trying to voice their concerns within a group setting, tribes should be visited and spoken 

with individually. Ms. Wabaunasee is a tribal elder and is speaking on behalf of Chairman 

Francis-Fourkiller, and her words need to be taken seriously.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 57

Dee Alexander 

Ms. Alexander thanked Chairman Francis-Fourkiller for her comments. The Census Bureau 

respects tribes as sovereign nations and does as much as possible to consult with tribes 

within the budget provided. The Census Bureau did not plan to receive a yes or no answer 

from tribes today, but simply wanted to share new information so that tribal delegates 

could discuss the matter further with their tribal governments. This is the first stage of tribal 

consultation in preparation for the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau does plan to consult 

with tribes one-on-one. Cathy Lacy will soon contact the Caddo Nation, as well as other 

tribes in the Denver Region, to request tribal consultation.

Tamara Francis-Fourkiller

Chairman Francis-Fourkiller thanked Ms. Alexander for her response. She specified that 

one-on-one tribal consultation means the tribal chairperson receives a letter from the 

executive leadership of the Census Bureau inviting her to sit down and talk with them. 

Chairman Francis-Fourkiller explained that she communicates directly with her people, 

and that is why they are at the table with the Census Bureau and she is not; they are 

representing her. She stopped by the tribal consultation to ensure that their input was 

being listened to. They are the appropriate level of leadership for this setting. The tribal 

consultation Chairman Francis-Fourkiller needs is with the executive leadership of the 

Census Bureau. 

Cathy Lacy 

Ms. Lacy acknowledged that this tribal consultation does not meet the needs described 

by Chairman Francis-Fourkiller, since she was the highest Census Bureau official present, 

and that Chairman Francis-Fourkiller would instead like to consult with Director Thompson. 

However, the Census Bureau is only gathering information at this point. Ms. Wabaunasee’s 

input will be recorded and relayed to others at the Census Bureau. The Census Bureau 

understands that before taking any action, such as mapping a tribe’s trust lands, approval 

will be obtained from the highest tribal official. 

Tamara Francis-Fourkiller

Within tribes, there is much dialogue back and forth, and leadership listens carefully to 

tribal elders. The sign outside the venue says “tribal consultation,” but there is only one 

tribal leader at the table. There are several types of tribal consultation. What type of tribal 

consultation does the Census Bureau consider this to be? 

Cathy Lacy

The Census Bureau did invite tribal leaders to attend, but only one decision-maker was able 

to be at the table. The primary purpose of this tribal consultation is to receive feedback 

from tribal delegates, and the Census Bureau is gathering much valuable input. 
58 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Tamara Francis-Fourkiller

This is not tribal consultation; it is a meeting with tribal representatives. True tribal 

consultation occurs face-to-face with individual tribes. The Census Bureau needs to 

visit each tribe and speak to the leadership, share food with them, and understand who 

they are. The leader of the Census Bureau needs to be there. As the leader of a nation, 

Chairman Francis-Fourkiller expects to consult with someone of a parallel rank, meaning 

Director Thompson, not Regional Director Lacy. The Census Bureau needs to respect tribal 

leaders as the leaders of sovereign nations. Chairman Francis-Fourkiller expressed doubt 

that the Census Bureau would expect state governors to gather at a table; instead, she 

anticipated that the Census Bureau would likely pursue one-on-one meetings with them. 

She expressed that she was insulted by the Census Bureau’s invitation to tribes to meet as 

a group, rather than individually.

Cathy Lacy

Ms. Lacy expressed her regrets that Chairman Francis-Fourkiller has found this initial level 

of tribal consultation insulting and thanked her for her comments. 

Dee Alexander

The Census Bureau mailed letters to tribal leaders notifying them of this tribal consultation. 

The 2020 Census is not yet a priority for some tribes. Cathy Lacy will reach out to tribes 

regarding one-on-one tribal consultation. The Census Bureau respects the need to visit 

tribes individually and Ms. Lacy can work with the Caddo Nation to set up a one-on-one 

tribal consultation that includes regional leadership, as well as Director Thompson.

Population Statistics Discussion

Hyon Shin

The Census Bureau’s Population Division works to produce demographic statistics based 

on the geographies mapped by its Geography Division. 

Census Bureau data on American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) are gathered through 

the census question on race. In the 2010 Census, the race question included a checkbox 

where a respondent could self-identify as AIAN, accompanied by a write-in area for 

providing detailed information, such as their tribal affiliation. The Census Bureau has a 

coding and classification system for tabulating detailed AIAN responses collected through 

the write-in area. Using a code list, the Census Bureau uses the way individuals report their 

detailed identities as a basis to code, tabulate, and produce data for specific tribes and 

AIAN groups. The Census Bureau cannot tell people how to respond or what to write in; 

rather, people tell the Census Bureau about the ways in which they self-identify, and the 

Census Bureau tabulates the data collected and disseminates it back to the communities.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 59

In 2010, the AIAN population was 5.2 million, which was 1.7 percent of the overall U.S. 

population. Since 2000, the census has allowed respondents to report multiple races. The 

Census Bureau tabulates data for people who report being one race alone and for people 

who report being a certain race either alone or in combination with other races. By using 

geography to map data, the Census Bureau can provide the entire number of AIANs living 

in a specific area.

Often, reservations contain residents who are not AIAN, so they are tabulated toward the 

overall count of people living within the reservation boundaries, but not toward the count of 

AIANs within the reservation boundaries. Since tribes in Oklahoma have OTSAs instead of 

reservations, the Census Bureau tabulates overall people living within the OTSA, as well as 

the number of AIANs living within the OTSA. If a tribe has citizens living on trust lands that 

are not contained within the OTSA, they may not be counted as living on tribal lands if trust 

lands are not mapped. 

The Census Bureau produces data for AIANs alone or in combination within OTSAs for 

Oklahoma tribes. Statistics that come from the census, such as the number of schoolage children in a certain area, come from questions in the census questionnaire, but are 

defined by geographic boundary. Currently, population statistics can show percentages of a 

population within an OTSA who identify as AIAN, as well as total population counts for the 

OTSA. 

People residing within Oklahoma tribal trust boundaries will be counted no matter what. 

However, because the Census Bureau does not know the boundaries for those trust 

lands, it cannot produce population statistics specifically for those areas. For example, 

the number of school-age children living in the area can be produced for OTSAs, but the 

data cannot be produced specifically for tribal trust areas since the Census Bureau does 

not map those areas. The Census Bureau would like to have an ongoing conversation with 

tribes regarding the possible mapping of Oklahoma tribal trust lands. 

Discussion

Hyon Shin 

After seeing how population counts can be published for different levels of geography, 

what do you think about mapping tribal trust lands? Would Oklahoma tribes like to have 

population counts for trust lands in addition to OTSAs?

Kim Morris

Would the Census Bureau map all tribal trust lands, or only the trust lands that are part of 

the tribe’s OTSA? 
60 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Vince Osier

The Census Bureau would map all the trust lands, regardless of where they are located, if 

the tribe chose to have the Census Bureau map those areas. While a tribe may have trust 

lands within another tribe’s OTSA, producing data for that trust area would not detract from 

the count for the other tribe’s OTSA. 

Kim Morris

Since Oklahoma tribes do not have traditional reservations, the Census Bureau cannot 

simply count the tribal trust lands in addition to the larger geography (in this case, 

OTSAs, rather than reservations), without risking duplication. Tribal trust lands are dotted 

everywhere. If a tribe has trust lands within its own OTSA, and the Census Bureau produces 

a count for the OTSA and a separate count for all the tribe’s trust lands and then adds 

those counts together for a total number, anyone living in that overlap area has been 

counted twice. For that reason, mapping tribal trust lands does not seem beneficial for 

Oklahoma. 

Brad Peltier

Mr. Peltier recommended that the Census Bureau maintain a list of each Oklahoma tribe’s 

contact information as this conversation continues. By 2020, some tribes will have new 

leadership who may feel differently about the value of mapping tribal trust lands. In the 

same way that trust land boundaries change over time, leadership stances on mapping 

those lands may also change over time. 

Barbara Ramos

The Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma has a large portion of tribal citizens who live in Texas as a 

result of relocation. How are they counted? 

Hyon Shin

Census Day is April 1. The Census Bureau counts people in the locations where they 

usually live and sleep as of April 1, 2020. If a person lives in Texas at that time, he or she is 

counted in Texas. However, as long as that person writes in their tribal affiliation, they will 

count toward the overall national count for the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, regardless of 

where they live. The Census Bureau also produces state-level counts, county-level counts, 

and so on. So this person would be included in data for Kickapoo tribal citizens in Texas, 

but not toward Kickapoo citizens in Oklahoma.

Palmer Mosely

Is the Census Bureau trying to answer the question of how many people are living on trust 

property? 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 61

Vince Osier 

Yes.

Palmer Mosely

Since mapping tribal trust lands would be challenging, it is important to weigh the value 

it would provide against the challenges it may cause. The value of this task depends on 

its significance in increasing the accuracy of census numbers. In eastern Oklahoma, few 

people live on tribal trust lands. Every tribe in Oklahoma is different, which means there 

is no single approach that can be used. There are few people who live on the Chickasaw 

Nation’s trust lands due to the laws requiring a minimum 50 percent blood quantum. The 

term checkerboard is an apt description for many Oklahoma tribal trust lands. Mapping 

tribal trust lands would be beneficial, but the benefit may not be significant enough to 

justify the tremendous effort required. Would the counts be accurate? For tribes, statistics 

always return in the form of federal funds, so the numbers need to be accurate. All tribes 

are competing for a pool of federal funds. Accuracy is key to ensuring that pool of funds 

is distributed fairly. The Chickasaw Nation is currently developing a campaign to transition 

mailing addresses for tribal citizens from PO boxes to physical addresses so the tribe 

knows how to locate its citizens. A year and a half ago, a tornado moved through the 

community and the tribe did not know who was affected. The storm damaged a house 

on trust property, and the tribe did not know until three days later. Mr. Palmer expressed 

concern that the results of mapping tribal trust lands may not be worth the effort; due to 

complex and unique situations, it would be difficult to obtain an accurate count this way. 

Marilyn Threlkeld

Ms. Threlkeld asked Mr. Mosely if he thinks that tribes should map their own trust lands. 

Palmer Mosely

Mr. Mosely responded that tribes should provide this information on an individual basis. 

Tribes have fought long and hard to keep their information confidential. Providing 

confidential information to federal agencies is a dilemma because, while working with them 

can help produce accurate information, that information also becomes public under the 

Freedom of Information Act. Mr. Mosely agreed with the concerns Ms. Jackson expressed 

earlier about being careful in what information tribes provide. Tribes do want to work with 

the Census Bureau to achieve an accurate count, but is that need significant enough to 

reveal confidential information? 

Hyon Shin

As far as population counts, the Census Bureau cannot disclose individual information. 

Information on individuals and individual households on trust lands would be confidential, 

but the location of the trust lands would be published if the Census Bureau mapped them.
62 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Palmer Mosely

Mr. Mosely noted that he could visit the county clerk’s office to deduce what lands are likely 

in trust. BIA adds all trust land information into its Trust Asset and Accounting Management 

System (TAAMS), but the system is not fully up to date or 100 percent accurate. As the 

buyback liaison for the Chickasaw Nation, Mr. Mosely is concerned that information used 

for the land buyback program is pulled from TAAMS. For that reason, it would help to have 

the Census Bureau provide updated information on tribal trust lands, but only if there is a 

sure way to count the populations living on trust lands. Those counts will also affect federal 

funding allocated to tribes. 

Dee Alexander

If tribes did share their trust information with the Census Bureau, how often would it be 

updated?

Laura Waggoner

It would be updated yearly. Any updates effective as of January 1 and received by March 

1 would be incorporated into the data tabulated that year. Through the BAS, the Census 

Bureau would work with tribes to update trust land boundaries and coordinate with BIA if 

needed to follow up on any discrepancies. The Census Bureau depends on tribes to ensure 

correct boundaries through the BAS. 

Palmer Mosely

The problem with collecting race data through self-response is that there is no way to 

authenticate responses. People have committed fraud to try to gain tribal citizenship 

with the Chickasaw Nation. People who want to be part of a tribe, but who are not Native 

American, may respond as Native American on the census, which would result in distorted 

counts. 

Hyon Shin

The Census Bureau understands this concern and acknowledges that self-response data 

cannot be verified. However, the census is also used for apportionment and legislative 

needs, such as civil rights enforcement. 

Rosaura Jimenez

If the Census Bureau maps this additional geography for tribes, will that affect tribal 

funding?
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 63

Laura Waggoner 

Potentially, yes. Many other federal agencies, like HUD, use geographic boundaries and 

statistics produced by the Census Bureau to distribute funding. The formulas vary from 

agency to agency.

Rosaura Jimenez

Can the Census Bureau map tribal jurisdictions instead of pin-pointing trust lands? Will 

there be any backlash if a tribe does not provide trust land information to the Census 

Bureau?

Laura Waggoner 

Tribes that do not want the Census Bureau to map their trust lands can opt out by simply 

not submitting the information. There will be no backlash. The Census Bureau only wants to 

map tribal trust lands if doing so will benefit tribes. If a tribe does not want their trust lands 

mapped, the Census Bureau will not do so. 

Palmer Mosely

Mapping trust lands could be a huge benefit for tribes with reservations. However, the 

unique and complex situations Oklahoma tribes face make this a challenge. Mr. Mosely 

noted that, while he is not the official decision maker for the Chickasaw Nation, the opinion 

he would pass on to that decision maker is that the challenge and risk associated with 

mapping Oklahoma tribal trust lands outweigh the potential benefits. While the Census 

Bureau does not determine federal policy or funding, other federal agencies may use 

census data to quickly render statistics that are out of context or do not provide a clear 

picture, which could negatively affect the funding tribes receive. 

Dee Alexander

Ms. Alexander thanked Mr. Mosely for his comment and emphasized that the Census 

Bureau would only map trust lands for tribes who want them to do so. At a previous tribal 

consultation, some of the tribal delegates expressed favor for the idea. One of the tribes 

has trust lands in Kansas and supports the mapping of that area so they can receive a 

count of their tribal citizens who live on those lands. The Census Bureau would like to 

discuss this issue with tribes individually and also work with BIA. 

Palmer Mosely

The map of Oklahoma that the Census Bureau presented at the tribal consultation shows 

incorrect tribal land boundaries for the Chickasaw Nation, as well as other tribes.
64 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Laura Waggoner 

The map is a bit dated because it depicts OTSAs, which are only updated decennially.

Palmer Mosely

Is the mapping of tribal trust lands being discussed because it was requested by other 

tribes or is it a federal initiative? 

Vince Osier

It was requested by tribes. Mapping these lands would be challenging for the Census 

Bureau, and unless there is clear dialogue with tribes in favor of mapping trust lands, the 

Census Bureau would not want to move forward with the task. 

Palmer Mosely

Some tribes with reservations in the northern and western United States might benefit 

from the mapping of tribal trust lands, but because unique laws apply to Oklahoma tribes, 

mapping these lands in Oklahoma may be too difficult.

Joshua Coutts 

What if the Census Bureau mapped tribal trust lands only for Oklahoma tribes that do not 

have OTSAs? That way, all Oklahoma tribes would be represented on the Census Bureau’s 

map, but if one tribe’s trust lands overlapped with another tribe’s OTSA, that overlap would 

be less likely to appear on the map. 

Palmer Mosely

Although he cannot officially speak for tribes that do not have OTSAs, Mr. Mosely agreed 

that this seemed plausible. In an effort to provide better service coverage, the Chickasaw 

Nation is already trying to map its own trust lands. Some tribes do not have the capacity to 

do mapping, however.

Joshua Coutts

Another option could be to map only Oklahoma tribal trust lands located in other states. 

That way, there would be no overlap of trust lands with OTSAs on the map. 

David Pacheco

On the map, the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma’s jurisdiction is depicted for two counties, but 

the tribe has a three-county jurisdiction. Oklahoma County should be listed, as well. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 65

Laura Waggoner

The Census Bureau would like to meet with the tribal delegates in attendance after the 

lunch break. Ms. Waggoner asked if she could discuss Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma’s 

geography with Chairman Pacheco at that time. Chairman Pacheco agreed. 

Open Discussion

Margaret Zientek

Will the census form for the 2020 Census be a short form similar to the form used in 

the 2010 Census? Oklahoma has the lowest rate in the country of landline phones in 

households. Usually, mobile phones serve as home phones. Many Citizen Potawatomi 

Nation citizens do not have Internet access. The 2010 Census did not accurately capture 

the Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s population. The undercount was identified, but Congress 

did not allow the census data to be corrected. The tribe hopes to correct its count in the 

2020 Census and use it to justify adequate funding. The Census Bureau maps show the 

tribe’s area as having an AIAN population below 10 percent of the total population, which 

seems incorrect. 

Ms. Zientek recalled realizing that she had received ACS notifications in the mail and 

mistakenly threw them away thinking they were junk mail. Having greater knowledge of the 

ACS than a typical citizen of her tribe, if she made this mistake, this is not an encouraging 

sign, as far as the tribe’s awareness of and participation in the ACS.

Cathy Lacy 

For places where Internet response is not feasible, the Census Bureau will conduct 

in-person enumeration. The Census Bureau wants to work with tribes individually to 

understand their preferred enumeration approaches. The 2020 Census will be a short form 

containing about 10 questions. 

Palmer Mosely

Census numbers are used to allocate almost 400 billion federal dollars each year, as well 

as every state’s share of seats in Congress. Having more people equals having more seats 

in Congress. To solve the historical undercount in Indian Country, tribes have to do a lot of 

the work themselves. Mr. Mosely stated that he plans to work with the Chickasaw Nation’s 

public relations and media experts to develop a plan for promoting the 2020 Census 

among the tribe’s citizens. Tribes fight for almost every dollar they receive for programs. 

The Census Bureau is a partner in assisting them, but tribes are the most well equipped to 

reach their own citizens. 
66 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Dennis Woommavovah

It is important to find and count AIANs who are often unintentionally overlooked. Tribes 

must do their part to ensure their citizens are counted. Citizens of the Comanche Nation 

who live outside the tribe’s geographic service area still receive services, so the tribe 

needs to know where they live. Mr. Woommavovah expressed doubts that mapping trust 

property would benefit tribes. Tribes have a solid understanding of their own trust lands. 

The Comanche Nation’s lands and grants departments will work with the Census Bureau in 

conducting the 2020 Census. 

Shannon Nagel

The Comanche Nation found the Census Bureau’s 2020 Census tribal consultation 

handbook helpful in explaining census processes. It allowed them to attend the tribal 

consultation with a solid foundational understanding of the census. The tribe arrived at 

this tribal consultation with the understanding that it was intended to be a preliminary 

dialogue with tribes. The Comanche Nation looks forward to further tribal consultation 

and to working with the Census Bureau on next steps. Funding for tribal programs will 

likely become increasingly strained and competitive in the next four years. Ms. Nagel and 

Mr. Woommavovah will take the information on mapping tribal trust lands to others in the 

tribe to discuss the topic further. The information was helpful. Ms. Nagel noted that tribal 

consultation has been swept under the rug by some federal agencies, so she found the 

frustrations expressed by other tribal leaderships understandable. However, the Census 

Bureau has shown respect for tribes and the tribal consultation process. Ms. Nagel thanked 

the Census Bureau for their efforts.

Mickey Douglas

Anything done in partnership with the federal government must first be vetted by the 

Seminole Nation’s tribal council, and the federal agency must then request formal tribal 

consultation with the tribe. Mr. Douglas reported that he will take the information on the 

2020 Census back to the tribe. The tribe has begun administering services previously 

provided by IHS and BIA, such as water and septic system services. Census numbers will 

be important in ensuring the tribe receives adequate funding for those programs. Many 

Native American people within the Seminole Nation are not enrolled tribal citizens. How are 

they counted? When asked to write in the tribe with which they are affiliated, they may write 

in another tribe, but receive services from the Seminole Nation since the tribe provides 

services to citizens of other tribes. The tribe does not want to see those people lose out on 

services. The Seminole Nation does not have a GIS department, per se, but it does have 

a few people with GIS capabilities. The tribe recently finished mapping all its restricted 

properties, including allotments. Those restrictions fall off when the allottee passes away 

and the allotment is passed to an heir who does not meet the 50 percent blood quantum 

requirement. If the restriction falls off, the land goes out of trust. Some of the tribal 

elders are less likely to participate in the census because of a lack of trust in the federal 

government. Mr. Douglas offered to serve as a point of contact for the Census Bureau 

moving forward to assist with these types of issues. 
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 67

Melissa Jones

Ms. Jones expressed that the accuracy of census counts is her biggest concern. DOI 

Secretary Jewell recently visited the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and there was back and 

forth between her and the tribe’s chief as to whether the tribe is the third or fifth largest 

tribe in the country. She was referring to census numbers, and he was referring to tribal 

enrollment records. It is up to individual tribes to share the word with their citizens about 

the census. 

Kim Morris

Ms. Morris expressed that mapping tribal trust lands is a good idea, but would not work 

well in practice for Oklahoma tribes, because the collection of data from trust lands does 

not work in conjunction with the collection of data from OTSAs. 

Barbara Ramos

How are homeless people counted? There are also many displaced people who live with 

relatives temporarily and may not be included on the census form for that household. 

Counting people who frequently move from address to address is challenging.

Cathy Lacy

The Census Bureau asks households to list all people living there as of Census Day. If a 

person is staying in a household on that day and does not have another place to live, they 

should be included. This is important information to include in educating tribal citizens 

about how to complete the census. The Census Bureau conducts a special operation to 

capture the homeless population of homeless people who may live in a facility or on the 

street. 

Marilyn Threlkeld

The issue of mapping of tribal trust property needs to be settled with each tribe individually. 

Ms. Threlkeld stated she would like to see service areas no longer mapped through Census 

Bureau geography, since geographic service areas do not capture all of the tribe’s citizens 

who receive services from the tribe. How do other minority groups complete the census?

Cathy Lacy

Everyone receives the same census form. 
68 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

Dee Alexander

The Census Bureau will mail an invitation to complete the census online to every 

household. For much of Indian Country, the Census Bureau conducts Update/Enumerate, 

in which an enumerator visits the household to enumerate it in person. The Tribal 

Governments Liaison Program asks leadership of each tribe to designate a liaison from the 

tribe to work with the Census Bureau and to promote the census in the community. The 

liaison can work with Census Bureau tribal partnership specialists to learn about upcoming 

census activities or help recruit local enumerators from the tribe to conduct door-to-door 

enumeration, since tribal citizens know their own communities best. 

Margaret Zientek

In previous years, if the head of household self-identified as Native American, the 

household was counted as Native American. Similarly, if the head of household reported 

being a different race, the household would be counted as non-Native, even if other 

household members were AIAN. It is important for tribes to educate community members 

that, if anyone in the household receives services from the tribe, the tribal citizen within 

the household needs to respond as the head of household so that household is included in 

tabulations for the tribe.

In the past, a small pocket of funds was available for tribal use in doing census ad 

campaigns. Will this funding be available for the 2020 Census? 

Cathy Lacy

These funds were part of the partnership support program, which will not be available for 

the 2020 Census. In the previous census, the Census Bureau was able to invest some 

stimulus funding into that program, but it does not anticipate that it will have the same 

funds this time. The funding has not yet been finalized. The advertising company with which 

the Census Bureau has contracted to promote the 2020 Census is sensitive to the need to 

enable tribes to promote the census at a low cost. The owner of the advertising firm has 

attended previous tribal consultations with the Census Bureau and has gathered ideas from 

tribal delegates.

Hyon Shin

Ms. Zientek made an important point that the household will be tabulated toward the race 

reported by the person who responds as the head of household. However, the Census 

Bureau produces household-level data and individual-level data. Individuals within a 

household will be counted by however their race is indicated on the form, regardless of 

how the household is tabulated. The race of the head of household only affects data at the 

household level, not the individual level.
Oklahoma Tribal Consultations Final Report: Appendix B • 69

Margaret Zientek

If a non-Native member of a household responds as the head of household for a household 

that contains tribal citizens, that household is not counted toward the numbers that are 

needed to justify Native American Housing and Self Determination Act funding. 

Mickey Douglas

IHS looks at the total AIAN population within a tribe’s service area, rather than the count for 

a specific tribe. 

CLOSING REMARKS

Jennifer Gillissen

Ms. Gillissen encouraged the tribal delegates to contact Dee Alexander with any further 

questions or comments.

Dee Alexander

Ms. Alexander thanked the tribal delegates for attending the tribal consultation. Consulting 

specifically with Oklahoma tribes is a priority for the Census Bureau and for Cathy Lacy and 

the Denver Regional Office. The Census Bureau welcomes one-on-one tribal consultations. 

Ms. Alexander encouraged anyone with interest in one-on-one tribal consultation to work 

with her to set it up. The Census Bureau will internally discuss how to best seek yes or no 

answers on mapping tribal trust lands from individual tribes. Ms. Alexander will follow up 

with the tribal delegates regarding this issue.

Cathy Lacy

Ms. Lacy thanked the attendees for their time. The census numbers are a count of the 

population and will never match tribal rolls precisely. The Census Bureau can provide 

counts for how many people live in a certain area, but census data are not intended to 

replace tribal enrollment records. It will be important for tribes to educate their citizens 

about the importance of the census and how they should self-identify to ensure they 

are counted correctly. Ms. Lacy requested that the tribal delegates discuss the issue of 

mapping tribal trust lands with others in their tribal governments upon returning home. The 

Census Bureau looks forward to hearing tribes’ feedback on this topic. 
70 • UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU 

ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSIONS: CENSUS BUREAU GEOGRAPHY STAFF 

AND TRIBAL DELEGATES

Geographers from the Census Bureau met one-on-one with tribal delegates who were 

interested in doing so to discuss individual geographic boundaries, answer questions, and 

gather information needed to research geography solutions for the 2020 Census. 

ACTION ITEMS

u All tribal consultation registrants will receive a summary of the meeting about three 

weeks after the tribal consultation.

u All tribal consultation registrants will receive a copy of the final report, which will 

cover both rounds of tribal consultation and will be published in June 2017.

Dee Alexander will follow up with the tribal delegates regarding next steps for soliciting yes 

or no answers from Oklahoma tribes about mapping tribal trust

TM

Prepared for the U.S. Census Bureau by:

Kauffman & Associates, Inc.

South 165 Howard St., Suite 200

Spokane, WA 99201

P: 509–747–4994 • F: 509–747–5030

www. kauffmaninc. com