For the 2010 Census, a broad based advertising and marketing campaign was launched by the Census Bureau. This endeavor, known as the 2010 Census Integrated Communications Program, had a primary goal of increasing mail response rates for the 2010 Census. A segment of this campaign, the Mail Response Rates/Take 10 Program, provided a means of communicating the extent to which housing units in the United States and Puerto Rico were returning decennial census questionnaires and encouraged local officials to increase their community’s mail response rates compared to Census 2000.

Within the Mail Response Rates/Take 10 Program, it was imperative that quality response data were delivered to stakeholders in an expeditious and efficient manner. Prior to the Mailout/Mailback phase of the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau determined that there would be an increased number of vacant housing units caused by relatively poor economic conditions and recent natural disasters (e.g. , Hurricane Katrina). As a result, the Census Bureau adopted the term “mail participation rate”, which was used in place of “mail response rate” when dealing with the public. This rate provided a better gauge of community involvement since it did not include census questionnaires that we redeemed “undeliverable as addressed ” by the United States Postal Service.

The mail participation rate (also referred to as “participation rate” in this assessment) and the mail response rate (also referred to as “response rate” in this assessment) were both calculated and reported by the Mail Response Rates /Take 10 Program. They are defined as the following:

• Mail Participation Rate – This measure included unduplicated mail returns from the Mailback universe based on the kind of initial questionnaires (both mailout and Update/Leave), replacement questionnaires, form fulfillment questionnaires with identification numbers associated, and Telephone Questionnaire Assistance phone responses with identification numbers associated. “Be Counted” forms were included in final mail participation rates for the Mail Response Rates Program but not for the Take 10 Program due to a data distinction issue. Questionnaires returned “Undeliverable as Addressed” by the United States Postal Service were not counted as responses and were not included in the mailback universe, when calculating the mail participation rate.
• Mail Response Rate – This measure included unduplicated mail returns from the mailback universe based on the kind of initial questionnaires (both mailout and Update/Leave), replacement questionnaires, form fulfillment questionnaires with identification numbers associated, and Telephone Questionnaire Assistance phone responses with identification numbers associated. “Be Counted” forms were included in final mail response rates. Questionnaires returned “Undeliverable as Addressed” by the United States Postal Service were not counted as responses but were included in the mailback universe, when calculating the mail response rate.

This assessment focuses on the processes and operations used to deliver and post 2010 Census and Census 2000 mail response data at various levels of census geography. Throughout this assessment, for ease of explanation, the Mail Response Rates/Take 10 Program will be frequently referred to as two separate entities: the Mail Response Rates Program and the Take 10 Program . The Mail Response Rates Program posted on the Census Bureau intranet, participation rates, response rates, and other data from the 2010 Census and Census 2000 for use by Census Bureau employees. Data provided to Census Bureau employees by the Mail Response Rates Program were more detailed; meant to b e used by the Census Bureau for planning and rapid response. The Take 10 Program posted on the 2010 Census website, participation rates from the 2010 Census and Census 2000 for use by governmental entities, elected officials, Complete Count Committees, community based organizations, and the general public.

The Mail Response Rates/Take 10 Program met its intent to deliver mail response data from the 2010 Census in “real time” on the next business day. Software developed by the Census Bureau enabled comparisons of mail response rates and mail participation rates from the 2010 Census to those of Census 2000.

It is recommended for this or similar operations of future decennial censuses we:

• Get input from subject matter experts with prior decennial census experience early in the program development process.
• Complete and finalize program requirements early in the program development process.
• Involve senior management early in the program development process.
• Include communications representatives from the Associate Director for Communications in program operations meetings.
• Include operations staff, especially from the Decennial Management Division , in the Associate Director for Communications staff meetings, during the 2020 decennial data collection period.