The 2010 Census Is Coming
Aug 18, 2009 8:04 - 3 Comments
Posted by: Cindy Cotte Griffiths
Department: News,Volunteer
Tags: 2010 Census, by Cindy Cotte Griffiths, What You Can Do
Department: News,Volunteer
Tags: 2010 Census, by Cindy Cotte Griffiths, What You Can Do
Census Day is April 1, 2010. Because we want to do our part to make sure everyone residing in Rockville is counted, >Rockville Central has volunteered to be a Media Partner with the 2010 Census. This means I’ll be bringing you updates on the process, job opportunities, and interesting demographic information.
The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years. The state population counts from the census are used to determine representation in the House of Representatives and the boundaries of legislative districts. Every year the federal government awards more than $300 billion to states and communities based in part on census data. Census results are used to make decisions about schools, roads, hospitals, job training, child-care and senior programs.
We need the count to be as accurate as possible, so everyone needs to fill out the questionnaire. In the past, different length questionnaires have been used but this time there is one short version for everyone. I have a copy and it’s simple. The 10 questions should take 10 minutes to complete. You will receive your copy in March. Don’t worry, the Census Bureau cannot share your information with anyone, including other federal agencies or law enforcement.
Approximately 140,000 census workers have already canvassed most neighborhoods across the country to identify each residential address. For the first time, workers used hand-held technology. The process will result in the most comprehensive U.S. address list in existence, which will be available at the end of the month.
The City of Rockville is also looking for teams of community leaders to serve on Complete Count Committees (CCC) and create local awareness campaigns. If you know the ways to reach people who reside in your area, think about starting or joining a CCC. If you would like to help make a difference, contact Shannon Loomis at 240-314-8117 or sloomis@rockvillemd.gov.
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Did I read the email too fast, or did you include the ten questions? If not, what are they? Thanks.
Not only does the US census have a very strong impact on our lives by affecting the way that government relates to us, but the data collected by the census is utilized in almost all aspects of statistics that evaluate us as a society. When someone cites a number like “13% of the citizens of Maryland work as farmers”, this almost invariably comes from census data.When we participate in the census, we are also leaving a legacy for our descendants. As an avid genealogist, I have spent a great deal of time researching my family using the historical census, going back to 1790, and it’s always exciting when I learn something new about them that makes them even more alive in my mind. For instance, when the 1930 census finally became publicly available a few years ago, I was able to find my father, who was just a toddler at the time. It was a big surprise to see that his parents were calling him “Murray”, since his name was Richard. I have no idea why that happened, and unfortunately my father and grandparents are now dead, but it is just another intriguing detail that I could have only found out by doing genealogy research. (Note that census information is only publicly available after 70 years.)I encourage everyone to find out more about their family using the historical Federal Census. Not only will you learn a great deal about your family, you’ll also learn about the census itself, and how it has been collecting almost the same basic information since 1850, when the questions were expanded to include every individual in a household, including young children.There are many online resources available to learn more about the census, and lots of the records have been transcribed to make them publicly available.http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/
I didn’t type up the questions, but here is a link to a sample survey if you want to take an early peek:http://2010.census.gov/2010census/pdf/2010_Questionnaire_Info_Copy.pdfTemperance – I didn’t know old census data could be used for genealogical research. They don’t mention the idea in any of the census publications. I’m going to pass the link to this article along to my media contact. Thank you!