***MEDIA ADVISORY***

What:
U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Census Bureau officials will host a news conference to encourage residents in the Savannah, Ga., area to participate in the 2015 Census Test. Strategies used in the surrounding 20-county area will encourage residents to complete the test questionnaire promptly and securely over the Internet using a computer, tablet or smartphone.

The 2015 Census Test is researching modern and cost-efficient methods to conduct the 2020 Census. Research leading up to 2020 could result in saving up to $5 billion from the projected cost of conducting the census using established methods from previous censuses.

The Savannah area was selected for the test census for a number of reasons, including its population density, demographic diversity and the mixed rates of Internet access among the region’s residents. This allows the Census Bureau to test various digital outreach methods for different population groups in a self-contained media market.

When:
Monday, March 23, 2015, at 10 a.m. EDT

Where:
Savannah Technical College
Eckburg Auditorium
5717 White Bluff Road
Savannah, Ga., 31405

Who:
Mark Doms, under secretary for economic affairs, Department of Commerce
John H. Thompson, director, U.S. Census Bureau
Lisa Blumerman, associate director for decennial census programs, U.S. Census Bureau

Access:
Residents can complete the 2015 Census Test starting March 23 at <www.census.gov/2015>

For more information about the test, visit www.census.gov/2015censustests.

Interviews:
Please contact the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office at pio@census.gov or 301-763-3030 to request an interview with a subject matter expert.

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