Census form help

[cinderella73]

I dont want this to turn into a political debate. I just need some advice. What is the minimum required by law that we have to anwer on the census form ?

From what I have been told , read , and researched its only " How many people in the household?" My census worker is saying if I only answer that I am non-compliant. According to the law thats not true. I think some of the questions are unconstitutional. ( If you disagree thats fine and I dont want to get flamed so if anyone makes a comment I will ignore it. )

I just want help and advice from anyone who also believes this. How did you handle it ? I found the law statue and from what it says I am fully compliant. But my census worker is being very argumentive. I know 2 other people in my moms neighborhood also only answered the 1 question required and it was accepted. But I am being given a hard time. Help ?

 

[golfgal]

I wish they would just simplify things and require people to fill out the whole dang form. Just fill out #1, don't get the appropriate funding for your area and let the rest of us have more, no skin off my nose if your fire department is understaffed and your house burns to the ground because they couldn't get there in time. The census isn't so evil entity out to get you--it is there to HELP you. In our state, for example, if people don't fill out the form completely, we may lose a seat in the House. That is a BIG DEAL.

 

[npmommie]

Did you already send it in with just that question answered? if so then just don't answer the door when they come knocking.
or just politely tell them that is all you will answer, thank you have a nice day

 

[LadyZolt]

I didn't like the race questions -- I think that's totally irrelevant. I can see asking name, sex, age, but not race. So I listed myself as "Earthling," my husband as "Homosapien," my son as "American" and my daughter as "Diurnal mammal."

-Dorothy

 

[cinderella73]

Ok just called my local office. They said I was correct thats all I have to answer . They were in fact very nice and answered all my questions about the census without being nasty. They will send somebody back out ( not the original lady) and I can answer only the one question if I like. was MUCh better dealing with the main office !

Anyway thanks guys .

 

[cinderella73]

I wish they would just simplify things and require people to fill out the whole dang form. Just fill out #1, don't get the appropriate funding for your area and let the rest of us have more, no skin off my nose if your fire department is understaffed and your house burns to the ground because they couldn't get there in time. The census isn't so evil entity out to get you--it is there to HELP you. In our state, for example, if people don't fill out the form completely, we may lose a seat in the House. That is a BIG DEAL.

They wont underestimate our counties needs since I am giving them the info they need to provide for the populace in general.( Our household count) I dont think being a asian , african american , or other has anything to do with staffing my fire department.

Did you already send it in with just that question answered? if so then just don't answer the door when they come knocking.
or just politely tell them that is all you will answer, thank you have a nice day

Will do . Thanks !

I didn't like the race questions -- I think that's totally irrelevant. I can see asking name, sex, age, but not race. So I listed myself as "Earthling," my husband as "Homosapien," my son as "American" and my daughter as "Diurnal mammal."

-Dorothy

Lol Love those answers.

 

[npmommie]

I wish they would just simplify things and require people to fill out the whole dang form. Just fill out #1, don't get the appropriate funding for your area and let the rest of us have more, no skin off my nose if your fire department is understaffed and your house burns to the ground because they couldn't get there in time. The census isn't so evil entity out to get you--it is there to HELP you. In our state, for example, if people don't fill out the form completely, we may lose a seat in the House. That is a BIG DEAL.

Our town does a yearly town census. THAT is how they know what they need in regards to the schools, fire dept, police etc.
the us govt census is done every 10 years, if all this time during the past ten years my town was using the 2000 census figures we would be so very out of luck, since our town population has almost doubled in that time.

 

[npmommie]

Ok just called my local office. They said I was correct thats all I have to answer . They were in fact very nice and answered all my questions about the census without being nasty. They will send somebody back out ( not the original lady) and I can answer only the one question if I like. was MUCh better dealing with the main office !

Anyway thanks guys .

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just so you all know, race on the census dates back to Thomas Jefferson (fact). All questions as to why it's there should be addressed to him (joke).

 

[cinderella73]

Our town does a yearly town census. THAT is how they know what they need in regards to the schools, fire dept, police etc.
the us govt census is done every 10 years, if all this time during the past ten years my town was using the 2000 census figures we would be so very out of luck, since our town population has almost doubled in that time.

Yeah a lot of what was explained to me didnt make sense. So I asked questions. I was suprised to have the lady at the census agree with me! Never expected that in a million years. BTW love your avatar.

 

[disney1990]

Ok just called my local office. They said I was correct thats all I have to answer . They were in fact very nice and answered all my questions about the census without being nasty. They will send somebody back out ( not the original lady) and I can answer only the one question if I like. was MUCh better dealing with the main office !

Anyway thanks guys .

We were told that if that is all you are supplying then we are to mark the form as "REFUSED". That, that is not enough information. In that case, we will be knocking on the doors of your neighbors, talking to the mail carrier, ect. to attempt to obtain additional information. Just yesterday, my DH was given some forms which just has a head count on them and told to go out and "try again."

 

[SunnyP4Disney]

If you go to the census.gov website, it has alot of great FAQs about what is required. All info is required by law, not just the head count. We continue to visit people everyday that continue to refuse anything more than the number of people. They will keep getting visited throughout the NRFU operation and then after that, it is routed up the chain to whatever penalties might be enforced.

Title 13

Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.

(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

 

[mr.alec]

We have 2 kids and it took me all of 5 minutes to do it all.
Why not just fill it out completely.
It is unearthly simple.

 

[Purseval]

They will keep getting visited throughout the NRFU operation and then after that, it is routed up the chain to whatever penalties might be enforced.

Nobody has ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out a census form. Feel free to answer as little or as much as you want, the SWAT team has better things to do with their time.

We have 2 kids and it took me all of 5 minutes to do it all.
Why not just fill it out completely.
It is unearthly simple.

You got the short form. The long form is 28 pages.

 

[Acklander]

Nobody has ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out a census form. Feel free to answer as little or as much as you want, the SWAT team has better things to do with their time.


You got the short form. The long form is 28 pages.

I thought they weren't doing the long form this time around???

 

[Sparx]

Nobody has ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out a census form. Feel free to answer as little or as much as you want, the SWAT team has better things to do with their time.


You got the short form. The long form is 28 pages.

No. Its ten questions per person. They shortened it.

 

[golfgal]

Our town does a yearly town census. THAT is how they know what they need in regards to the schools, fire dept, police etc.
the us govt census is done every 10 years, if all this time during the past ten years my town was using the 2000 census figures we would be so very out of luck, since our town population has almost doubled in that time.

That yearly census doesn't have anything to do with federal dollar allocations, determining representation in the federal government, etc. That is for local use only. Our city keeps track of population through the utility company since everyone pretty much signs up for electricity when they move to the area. They have a ticker on the city website showing the current population, which is higher then what the signs say from the 2000 census but that doesn't change anything on the FEDERAL level.

As far as answering the race questions, again, you are only hurting your area by not doing so as some programs receive more funding based on the minority population in the area, but like I said, go ahead and not answer those questions, that just leaves more money for those of us that do, thanks.

 

[sunnyday123]

We have 2 kids and it took me all of 5 minutes to do it all.
Why not just fill it out completely.
It is unearthly simple.

I don't get the conspiracy theories surrounding the census either. It's the government, they can find out what time you go to the bathroom every day if they want.

 

[lajones81]

I thought they weren't doing the long form this time around???

Correct.

 

[golfgal]

I don't get the conspiracy theories surrounding the census either. It's the government, they can find out what time you go to the bathroom every day if they want.

Like I said, that is just more money for those of us that aren't so paranoid.