ATLANTA – According to the latest 2010 Census mail participation rates, Florida and Alabama have now surpassed the rates achieved during the 2000 Census. Georgia has matched its 2000 numbers. They are three of 19 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, that have met or surpassed their rates from the 2000 Census.
The Census Bureau will continue to post updates to the participation rate throughout the week as the last of the mailed-back forms are processed. After Friday, April 23, no rate updates will be posted until the final mail participation rate is calculated and announced at a news conference during the week of April 26.
The complete list of states that have reached this milestone follows: · Alabama · Delaware · Georgia · Florida · Hawaii · Illinois · Indiana · Kentucky · Maine · Minnesota · New York · North Carolina · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Tennessee · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington
Census Takers will begin going door to door on May 3 to all households who have not returned their census form. They will be carrying a badge and black bag with the Census logo. A Census 2010 worker will never ask for your Social Security Number or personal banking/credit card information and will never ask for or accept any fee/payment. They will ask only the 10 questions that appeared on the form including number of people living at the residence on April 1, 2010, name, birth date, race/ethnicity, and if you rent or own.
The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to apportion congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. The 2010 Census form is one of the shortest in U.S. history, consisting of 10 questions, taking about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws protect the respondents and the information they provide.
