Census forms will be mailed out during the week of March 15.
“We’ll ask you to fill it out. It comes with a postage paid envelope,” he explained.
It has 10 simple questions on it. It’ll ask your name, age, gender, race as well as if you rent or own your home, among others.
“We’re not using the long form this time. We’re using the short form only,” he said, noting the long form is not popular.
He also stressed that the Census doesn’t ask for social security numbers or other such confidential information.
“There’s no sensitive information that’s asked,” he stressed.
The Census Bureau gets all of its information by mail. There’s no phone calls or Internet use, he also said.
“The Census is also important,” he stressed, noting its been conducted since 1790.
“The idea (for it) was to have the right number of government representatives,” he said.
Representation is the No. 1 reason for the Census.
Indiana now has 13 members of the House of Representatives.
“The 2010 count will determine whether we have (keep) 13 members in the House,” he said.
Some neighboring states are forecasted to lose representation in the 2010 Census. Indiana is forecasted to hang onto the current number.
Money is the No. 2 reason for the Census.
“We need all the money we can get,” he said, noting current budget cuts.
Census information helps determine how federal funding is spent.
The No. 3 reason for the Census is information.
“Census data describes the community,” he said.
In 2000, the Census had a 68 percent return on its first mailing.
“That’s still a long way away to 100 percent,” he added.
He also stressed how persistent the U.S. Census Bureau is.
If the first mailing isn’t returned, then expect a second one. If the second mailing isn’t returned, then expect a third one. If the third mailing isn’t returned then expect a visit from an enumerator.
“The Census Bureau is persistent,” Crampton said. “Our objective is to count 100 percent.”
