| MAY 21, 2010 -- National Grange is encouraging all Grange members who did not respond to the 2010 Census to answer the door when enumerators knock.
Background
About 635,000 Census takers began canvassing neighborhoods and residences in early May to follow up with households that either did not mail back their form, did not receive one, or sent their form in too late to be processed. An estimated 48 million addresses will be visited through July 10 of this year. More than 72 percent of the nation's households mailed back their Census forms, but achieving a complete and accurate Census requires the Census Bureau to now go door-to-door to count all the remaining households.
"Judging by the numbers, Americans have been supportive of the Census, but we still have more ground to cover," Ed Luttrell, National Grange President said. "I'm encouraging everyone who did not fill out their Census form to open their door to the enumerators. By cooperating, residents will ensure that their community receives its fair share of more than $400 billion in federal funding allocated each year based on Census numbers. This money helps to support such things as local roads and bridges, emergency services, recreation and economic development programs, schools, job training, senior centers, and hospitals."
Luttrell noted that local communities and municipalities will be short-changed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars for every person who isn't counted. In addition to dollars, Census figures also impact federal, state, and local politics by determining the number of members each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and where legislative boundaries are drawn.
The Census Bureau has stringent systems in place to ensure that people can feel safe when they open their door to a Census taker. All Census takers undergo an FBI background check that includes both name and fingerprint checks. All have taken an oath for life to protect the information they collect and understand that they face stiff penalties, jail time, or both for any disclosure of personally identifiable information.
Grange Policy
At the 143 rd National Grange convention, policy was passed by the delegate body to support a complete national census including an actual count of the entire U.S. population and not rely on estimates of citizens.
Action Needed
If you have not returned you census form and are visited by a census worker, take the time to answer 10 short questions. To ensure verification that the person knocking on your door is a legitimate Census taker, consider the following:
- The Census taker must present an ID badge with a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date. The Census taker may also be carrying a black canvass bag with a Census Bureau logo.
- If asked, the Census taker will provide you with supervisor contact information and the local Census office phone number for verification.
- The Census taker will only ask you the questions that appear on the 2010 Census form.
- It's important to note that Census takers will not ask for a Social Security, bank account, or credit card number, solicit donations, or contact you by e-mail.
In most cases, Census workers will visit each address three times and try to telephone up to three times. If the resident does not answer, the Census worker will leave a door hanger and a phone number that the resident may call to schedule an interview.
If a Census taker knocks on your door, please help by providing the basic information required for the Census. Your answers are strictly confidential. For more information about the 2010 Census, log onto www.2010census.gov or call the U.S. Census Bureau toll-free at (866) 872-6868.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this Action Alert, please contact Legislative Program Assistant Molly Thompson by e-mail: mthompson@nationalgrange.org; or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext. 107. Thank you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative Program.
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