Census~required by law??

[MM27]

I got a letter from US Census today that said 'your response is required by law' on the outside of the envelope. So what is the penalty if I didn't fill it out? I read the inside and there is nothing mentioned. Is that just their way of scaring people into filling it out or is there really some sort of penalty? It was addressed to RESIDENT though so I don't know which one of us they'd come after

 

[monkeyboy]

Census is mandated by the Constitution.


If you don't fill it out and send back , you may be put on a "list" to be held at airline security on any flights into Orlando.

 

[mking624]

We filled ours out and mailed it as soon as it came in. About a week ago, we received another one.

 

[ead79]

Yes, you are required to fill it out. It doesn't take long at all--maybe 5 or so minutes tops.

 

[MM27]

I get that you are required to fill it out, but my question is What happens if I don't? I don't like empty threats

 

[RadioNate]

Not only is your participation required by law, you are constitutionally obligated.

From the census FAQ

Yes, your participation in the 2010 Census is vital and required by law. Title 13 section 221 of the United States Code requires your response. Title 13 also requires that the Census Bureau keep respondents’ answers confidential and uses them only for tabulations that do not reveal any personal data about individuals or households.

and

11. What happens if I don’t respond?
Although the law makes it a crime not to answer the decennial census, the American Community Survey and other mandatory censuses, and authorizes the courts to impose a fine of up to $5,000 for failure to respond, the Census Bureau views this approach as a last resort. Rather than emphasizing or seeking the imposition of penalties, we encourage response by explaining the importance of the questions we ask and how the information benefits
the community.

If you don't send it back. A census worker will come to your house and take your information. If you refuse to give it to them, you are in violation of the law.

I don't get what the big deal is. The entire thing takes less than 10 minutes. Just fill the dumb thing out and go on with your life.

 

[mking624]

I get that you are required to fill it out, but my question is What happens if I don't? I don't like empty threats

A census worker will show up at your door. A good friend of mine was just telling me about it during the last census. His dad kept putting it off until finally a census worker showed up and said "let's get this thing done." He filled it out immediately this year.

 

[MM27]

Not only is your participation required by law, you are constitutionally obligated.

From the census FAQ



and



If you don't send it back. A census worker will come to your house and take your information. If you refuse to give it to them, you are in violation of the law.

I don't get what the big deal is. The entire thing takes less than 10 minutes. Just fill the dumb thing out and go on with your life.

Who said it was a big deal?

I just wanted to know what the consequences were because they made it a point to put it in big, bold letters across the front of the envelope that it was required by law, but then there is nothing inside that mentions what happens if you don't fill it out. I would think if they are making that much of an effort to say it's the law that they should tell you what the penalty is.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I'd fill it out, if they'd send me one.

 

[freckles and boo]

I get that you are required to fill it out, but my question is What happens if I don't? I don't like empty threats

You have to go through the spanking machine. There is a certain faction who has decided to be obnoxious and verbal about NOT filling out the census. That is probably the main reason they are reminding people it is not optional. Even one of the biggest bulldogs of the right wing has been enlisted in reminding people to fill out their census forms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyZSbbBjMvA

 

[gate_pourri]

We filled ours out and mailed it as soon as it came in. About a week ago, we received another one.

The same thing happened to me... What did you do with the 2nd one? I still have it sitting on my kitchen table, reminding me to do something with it.

 

[mking624]

The same thing happened to me... What did you do with the 2nd one? I still have it sitting on my kitchen table, reminding me to do something with it.

Mine is sitting on my kitchen table as well.

 

[freckles and boo]

The same thing happened to me... What did you do with the 2nd one? I still have it sitting on my kitchen table, reminding me to do something with it.

If you have already sent in a completed census form you pitch the second one out (or recycle it).

 

[LisaR]

I'd fill it out, if they'd send me one.

My mom stays with us during the winter and she went back up north two weeks ago. She didn't receive her form. She waited because she always has mail issues with the post office when she returns home. Finally, today she called the census to tell them she still hasn't received hers. The girl says she will gladly send her a new one. All my mom needed to do was read off the bar code on the front of her census envelope. My mom said it took 5 minutes of explaining before she thinks this girl understood. She just couldn't seem to grasp the concept that if she had an envelope, she would have the census as well. The conclusion was, if she hasn't received it by April 12th, call back and a new one will be sent out. My mom said it was all she could do not to say, "should I have my envelope and the bar code with me when I call back?"

 

[Fire14]

I'd fill it out, if they'd send me one.

you and me both!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEnd me the stinkin thing

 

[Nancyg56]

You have to go through the spanking machine. There is a certain faction who has decided to be obnoxious and verbal about NOT filling out the census. That is probably the main reason they are reminding people it is not optional.

Please fill it out. It takes no more than 5 minutes, asks no personal info other than your race. I would not worry about the penalty for not filling it out.

 

[MomRN]

lol... I get the sarcasm. The OP isn't rebelling against the man, just wanted to know what would happen. Would Secret Service come? Would there be lashings? The question was a good one, and even though I already sent mine in, I still wanted to know.

 

[Nancyg56]

So now I wanted to know

If you refuse to give out the information or you deliberately give inaccurate information, you can be in legal trouble. According to United States Code, Title 13 (Census), Chapter 7 (Offenses and Penalties), SubChapter II, if you're over 18 and refuse to answer all or part of the Census, you can be fined up to $100. If you give false answers, you're subject to a fine of up to $500. If you offer suggestions or information with the "intent to cause inaccurate enumeration of population," you are subject to a fine of up to $1,000, up to a year in prison, or both. Here's the official verbiage:

[SIZE=-1]I also read that it is unlikely tha anyone will be fined for not filling it out.
[/SIZE]

 

[walden]

Well, you could be fined for not responding, but that is unlikely. However, if you do not respond by mail you will have census takers at your door. That is rather a pain to deal with.

My question to you is why you want to resist responding?

Quite aside from the historical importance and fact that it is the law in the US, the census helps to decide the number of Congressional seats for your state, the distribution of electoral votes, and allocate federal funding based on the needs of the population in your state.

An undercount for your state will probably count against you in the long run. If you consider yourself a law-abiding US citizen, why object?

A gentle question.

 

[MM27]

Well, you could be fined for not responding, but that is unlikely. However, if you do not respond by mail you will have census takers at your door. That is rather a pain to deal with.

My question to you is why you want to resist responding?

Quite aside from the historical importance and fact that it is the law in the US, the census helps to decide the number of Congressional seats for your state, the distribution of electoral votes, and allocate federal funding based on the needs of the population in your state.

An undercount for your state will probably count against you in the long run. If you consider yourself a law-abiding US citizen, why object?

A gentle question.

It's so funny the responses you get when you ask a simple question here.

I never said I wasn't filling out the form, I never said I was resisting, never said I was objecting. Those were just assumptions made by your fellow posters.

I asked a simple question because I got the form in the mail today and I just wanted to know what the penalty was or if they just use that line to encourage people to complete it. I actually read through the whole thing and didn't see anything about fines or jail time, etc. It seemed really weird to put on the envelope that it was required by law but then to not elaborate.

I got the answer I was looking for though, so thanks