Jimmy O., The Census Bureau cannot use voter registrar information in place of responses to the 2010 Census for several reasons. First, these data is not comprehensive and do not contain the data for everyone. Second, we cannot obtain all of the required data from the voter registrar. Third, data from administrative records may not be usable because of differences in collection periods. As you are aware the 2010 Census reference date was April 1, 2010 and not June 8, 2010.

AM, Census takers are instructed to make the 1st visit to an address in person (not by telephone). After the 1st personal visit, census takers may then make callback attempts, by telephone or in person, in any order that they think will work best. However, the 1st attempt must be made in person, and the maximum number of personal visits per address is 3. Census takers may also make up to 3 telephone attempts to a household. If the housing unit appears to be occupied, the census taker should try to see if they can determine what the occupant's name or phone number is from a nearby neighbor. Census takers are also instructed to leave a Notice of Visit form, indicating that they have visited the household. Census takers are instructed to vary the times of contact, in order to find people at home. For example, if no one is at home on a weekday morning, census takers are instructed to try on a weekday evening or on the weekend. If, after up to 3 personal attempts and up to 3 telephone attempts, a census taker is unable to get an interview from the residents of the housing unit, the census taker is instructed to conduct an interview with a proxy respondent (such as a neighbor or other knowledgeable person). However, It's possible that your household is part of our quality control process. As we follow up with households who have not returned a completed census form or who did not receive one, we have quality control checks in place to ensure the work of our census takers is accurate.We systematically re-interview a randomly selected percentage of each census taker’s cases and match the data they collected to the data collected in the re-interview process. Local Census Office managers can also select additional cases for re-interview to further investigate census takers’ work.

Ob, you are correct. It's possible that these households are part of our quality control process. As we follow up with households who have not returned a completed census form or who did not receive one, we have quality control checks in place to ensure the work of our census takers is accurate.We systematically re-interview a randomly selected percentage of each census taker’s cases and match the data they collected to the data collected in the re-interview process. Local Census Office managers can also select additional cases for re-interview to further investigate census takers’ work.

Chas, Contact your Local Census Office regarding future employment opportunities.

Kelly, Contact your Local Census Office regarding employment opportunities. You can find your Local Census Office at the following link. http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/how-to-apply/local-office-map.php

w2y, Please read our comment policy.

Raeanna, You are required to complete the 2010 Census.

Sid, Thanks for thinking forward. I suggest that you share your ideas with Local Census Office.

Linda, Thank you for participating in the 2010 Census. The follow-up visits was a quality assurance interview. The Census Bureau needs to ensure that the data collected is correct. Not every residence will receive a quality assurance interview.

An enumerator, Individual complaints can be directed to the Personnel/Payroll Hotline that rings in each RCC administrative area. Each RCC administrative area is staffed to handle calls over the hotline and with voicemail for after hours calls. The nationwide toll free number is 1-877-233-4776. This telephone number is also located in the Employee Handbook that each DAPPS employee receives. The telephone number is found in Chapter 3, Personnel and Payroll.

Mike, Bring your issues to your crew leader's attention. They should know the standard operating procedures for a complete enumeration.

G. Lewis, Please call the Census Background Check Status Line at 1-800-845-8243 regarding your background check issues.

KaT, Individual complaints can be directed to the Personnel/Payroll Hotline that rings in each RCC administrative area. Each RCC administrative area is staffed to handle calls over the hotline and with voicemail for after hours calls. The nationwide toll free number is 1-877-233-4776. This telephone number is also located in the Employee Handbook that each DAPPS employee receives. The telephone number is found in Chapter 3, Personnel and Payroll.

Lynn, We do not want to cause any confusion in the chain-of-command so we advise Census Bureau staff to handle their issues locally. We guide people back to the Local Census Office due to the Local Census Office staff being experts in the community and they understand the standard operating procedures for a complete enumeration.

Sam, Please contact your Local Census Office regarding employment verification of the enumerator that came to your door. You can locate your Local Census Office using this link: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/how-to-apply/local-office-map.php

Brian, Please contact your Local Census Office regarding this issue. You can locate your Local Census Office using this link: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/how-to-apply/local-office-map.php

Tired of Government Incompetence, The Census Bureau is the only federal agency authorized to conduct the census. The Census Bureau works closely with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) in many ways. For example, throughout the decade we work with them to maintain our master address file, and they deliver questionnaires for most of our surveys and censuses. A joint group from the USPS and the Census Bureau examined using mail carriers to collect decennial census data, and the results were documented in a joint report. The findings of that report included that it would not be cost-effective for either the U.S. Postal Service or the Census Bureau for the U.S. Postal Service to administer directly the census field operations. Overall, the cost of letter carriers is much higher than census enumerators, on an average hourly basis, and would significantly increase census costs. Also, the U.S. Postal Service and its letter carriers are not well acquainted with the occupants of residential addresses. Many letter carriers do not actually go door-to-door. Many households receive their mail at central boxes in apartment buildings or in suburban areas. Many other people use postal mailboxes. Finally, its possible legal responsibilities for the quality of the data and legal repercussions would be a concern for the U.S. Postal Service.

sniemi, The participation rates displayed on the "Take 10" Web site and map are the rates achieved prior to Tuesday, April 27, 2010. In the fall, "final" participation rates will be posted on the site. These rates will include late mail returns, "Be Counted" forms and telephone interviews not included in the preliminary participation rates. Final mail returns rates, which take into account confirmed vacant housing units, should be known by the end of the year. The 2010 mail participation rate already excludes households whose forms were returned to us by the U.S. Postal Service as “undeliverable,” the majority of which are likely vacant. (We will still follow up on all these housing units to ensure everyone is counted.) To calculate the participation rates for Census 2000, we similarly subtracted these undeliverable forms out of the denominator, to make the final 2000 participation rate comparable to the 2010 rates. We imagine that similar rates will be used to track participation in the 2020 Census. However, as the 2020 Census is in its beginning planning stages, it's hard to say with certainty how participation will be measured.

John, Speak to your crew leader regarding best practices for completing your assignment.

Karin, The American Community Survey is a new way of gathering detailed census data. The American Community Survey is part of the decennial census program and is essentially what used to be the long form. The American Community Survey data are collected continuously throughout the year and throughout the decade from a relatively small sample of the population (3 million addresses annually). The American Community Survey provides current, detailed socioeconomic and housing data every year, rather than once a decade. In their own way, the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey provide an important picture of America. They show not only the number of people who live here, but how we live as a Nation -- our education, housing, jobs and more.

'nough already, Bring your issues to your Crew Leaders attention.

S Niemi, The Mail Participation Rate is the percentage of forms mailed back by households that received them. The Census Bureau developed this new measure in 2010, in part because of the current economy and higher rates of vacant housing. The rate excludes households whose forms were returned to us by the U.S. Postal Service as “undeliverable,” strongly suggesting the house was vacant. We will still follow up on all these housing units to ensure everyone is counted. Mail Participation Rate is a higher number than the Mail Response Rate we have used over the last decade, but it is a better measure of actual participation and therefore an easier goal to achieve when residents mail back their forms. In 2000, the national Mail Response Rate was 67% and the comparable national Mail Participation Rate was 72%. The Mail Response Rate is important to help us plan for the important door-to-door workload that begins in May during which we visit all households that have not returned a census form.

John, Contact your Local Census Office regarding this issue.

Stacey, Thank you for participating in the 2010 Census. The follow-up visit was a quality assurance interview. The Census Bureau needs to ensure that the data collected is correct. Not every residence will receive a quality assurance interview.

Sarah, It is required that you answer all of the question on the 2010 Census. In advance of providing the questions to be included on the next census to Congress, the U.S. Census Bureau asked federal agencies to provide information on their data needs, so that only necessary data are collected, as opposed to data that could be acquired by other means. The Office of Management and Budget facilitates the process to validate current uses of census data, determine unnecessary subjects and questions, and identify new subjects for which questions are required. Section 141(f)(2) of the Census Act requires that not later than 2 years before the next census, the questions to be included on that census be submitted to Congress. In March 2007, the subjects to be included on the 2010 Census were submitted to Congress.