Newsroom Archive

To ensure that a completed census questionnaire is obtained from every housing unit in the nation, the Census Bureau first must make sure that every housing unit, in the nation receives a census questionnaire. Three methods will be used to achieve this goal.

In mid-March the U.S. Postal Service will deliver census questionnaires by regular mail to more than 80 percent of all households. Householders are asked to mail their forms back promptly.

In areas where the addresses used for mail delivery are predominantly noncity-style (i.e., rural routes, post office boxes, etc.), census enumerators will leave self-addressed and postage-paid census questionnaires at each housing unit for the householder to complete and mail back. As enumerators deliver these questionnaires, they also will make any necessary corrections, additions or deletions to census maps and address lists. This operation will be conducted in March 2000.

"Under this method, we'll have enumerators from (your local area) doing the kind of detail work needed to ensure that Census 2000 is the most accurate and fairest count ever," said (name), (city) regional census center director. "We encourage all persons to cooperate fully with the census worker who comes to their door."

Finally, in sparsely settled or remote areas, census workers will conduct interviews, fill out a questionnaire for each housing unit, add the unit to an address list and spot it on a census map. This operation will take place from March through April and involves a much smaller percentage of the population.

"Census 2000's goal is to count every resident in the United States and its island areas," said Kenneth Prewitt, Census Bureau director. "Using these three methods, we enhance our capability of doing just that."