Make Sure Your Community Gets Its Fair Share:
Fill Out Your 2010 Census Form

On May 1, the Census Bureau began visiting ALL households that had not mailed back their Census forms. They will continue visiting households through July 10.

Frequently Asked Questions about Census takers

Q: How can I recognize a census taker?
A: A U.S. Census Bureau census taker:

Must present an ID Badge which contains: Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date.
Will provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked.
Will provide you with a letter from the director of the Census Bureau on U.S. Census Bureau letterhead.
May be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a Census Bureau logo.
When in doubt, please call the Chicago Regional Office for verification at 1-800-865-6384. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Q: I returned my completed questionnaire but a census worker still visited my home. Why?
A: The Census Bureau may not have received your questionnaire in time to update the census worker’s assignment, or your questionnaire may have been delayed or lost in the mail. When this happens, the Census Bureau instructs the census worker to collect your information anyway to remove the risk that we do not receive your information.

Q: But won’t I get counted twice that way?
A: No, the Census Bureau has procedures to eliminate duplicate questionnaires. There is an ID associated with each household’s questionnaire. This prevents us from counting you more than once.

Q: What if I am not home when the census taker comes?
A: The census worker will leave a double-sided (English and Spanish) NOTICE of VISIT in the doorway that includes a phone number for the resident to schedule an appointment.

“Coverage Follow-up” – reasons why an individual may receive a phone call from the Census Bureau

From April 26 – August 13, the Census Bureau will be contacting select households by telephone to clarify or complete information on forms returned by mail. These phone calls are targeted to cases that research shows yield significant change in household counts.

Examples that may trigger a follow-up call:

Large households (in order to get complete information for every member of the household)

7+ residents on English and in-language forms
9+ residents on bilingual (English-Spanish) forms

Coverage improvement: Follow-up on …

Question #2 possible undercount (omission)
Question #10 possible overcount (duplication)

Resolve “count discrepancies” on forms

Verify existence of housing units on Be Counted forms or telephone responses (if address is not already in Census Master Address File)

Administrative records check, focused on possible undercount (e.g. people missed in households)

The census is important to YOU. Why. . .

• 2010 Census will ensure that your community receives its fair share of the more than $400 million the federal government distributes each year to state, local and tribal governments.
• Census data determines how many seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Information can benefit you, your family and your community by helping guide planning and funding for new roads, hospitals, child-care and senior services, schools, job safety programs and enhanced legal services.
• Census data impacts educational benefits such as aid to universities and vocational support and training.

The census is quick, easy and safe!

• The census is safe, no asking for Social Security numbers or citizenship or immigration status.

• Personal information cannot be shared with anyone – individuals, landlords, businesses or government entities.

Information about the 2010 census and Center locations is available at the census website, www.2010.census.gov.

COUNT ME IN: Illinois 2010 Census Initiative

Necessary materials to launch your 2010 Census campaign! Materials are organized in toolkits so you can easily engage clients and community stakeholders in this once a decade count that is vital for our agencies and communities.

AgeOptions Partner Resource Center Link to Toolkits…