The Constitution of the United States mandates a comprehensive census of the population every ten years. From April to July 2010, the United States conducted its 23rd census since its founding. To ensure the smooth progress of this work, extensive efforts were made by relevant agencies, from hiring census takers to vigorous publicity, from designing questions to engaging widely with various sectors of society.
Thorough Preparation
The U.S. Census Bureau began recruiting staff for the initial phase of the census in the fall of 2008; in the spring of 2009, census workers started updating the national address list; and in the fall of 2009, recruitment began for census takers needed during the peak workload period.
Census takers are temporarily hired by local offices of the Census Bureau. Due to the high unemployment rate in the United States, such temporary positions are quite sought after, attracting many applicants. The Census Bureau determines who to hire based on factors such as the applicant's ability to work in the community, how many hours they can work each week, test scores, language skills, and any relevant experience. Additionally, census takers must pass a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including a fingerprint check for criminal records. Notably, fingerprint identification was a new requirement for census takers in 2010.
To raise public awareness of the census, prior to and during the official census period, the Census Bureau spent over $1.4 billion on extensive advertising across newspapers, radio, television, and the internet, and produced brochures, promotional bags, and more. They also sent staff to various gatherings to "set up booths" and promote the census. Reports indicate that just the outreach to historically underrepresented minority communities cost between $200 million and $300 million. This census became the most expensive in U.S. history. Furthermore, from January to April of this year, the Census Bureau deployed 13 census promotion vehicles to travel across the country, educating more people about the benefits of participating in the census for themselves and their communities. The "National Vehicle" traveled nationwide, while the other 12 vehicles focused on the 12 regions designated by the Census Bureau to engage specific communities.
Comprehensive Coverage
Starting in late April, the Census Bureau dispatched approximately 700,000 census takers to visit households that had not submitted their census forms on time, ensuring that these individuals were counted. For those without a fixed address or residing in suburban areas, nursing homes, shelters, and other congregate or non-standard housing, the Census Bureau established special teams to conduct targeted surveys. Some staff worked in the evenings, going to places where the homeless might gather to conduct counts.
To ensure accurate census information from residents in remote areas, the Census Bureau also developed specific survey procedures. For example, in the remote state of Alaska, the census must be completed before the spring thaw, as many residents leave home to hunt or engage in other activities once the snow melts, making it impossible for census takers to reach them. Additionally, the Census Bureau collaborated with the Department of Defense and the Coast Guard to survey living quarters on military bases and vessels. All ocean-going vessels, near-shore vessels, and Great Lakes vessels were required to participate in what is known as the "Census of Mariners."
Meticulous Attention to Detail
To improve response rates, the Census Bureau implemented various considerate measures for public convenience. First, the census form was designed with very few questions, only ten, primarily concerning how many people lived at the address on April 1, their names, genders, birth dates, phone numbers, and ethnicities. The census form was also available in six languages, with assistance provided in an additional 60 languages.
Moreover, the Census Bureau stated that it would do everything possible to protect the identity of respondents, with census staff solemnly swearing to keep this information confidential.
According to legal regulations, the Census Bureau cannot disclose respondents' answers to other agencies, including welfare agencies, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Internal Revenue Service, courts, police, and the military. Violating this law could result in imprisonment for the staff involved. Furthermore, even the USA PATRIOT Act cannot override the protections for respondents' personal information.
Despite this, many immigrants living in the United States without legal documentation still fear interacting with federal authorities. To address these issues, the Census Bureau has worked to engage with social activists, leaders of minority churches, and other trusted community organizations to reach out to those reluctant to participate in the census; at the same time, hundreds of thousands of census takers were dispatched to communities to conduct door-to-door visits to fill in the gaps.
Of course, census takers sometimes encounter closed doors. Many single-family homes in the United States display "No Trespassing" signs at their gates. Although U.S. law grants census takers the right to access, many residents express confusion and even call the police.
During the "Non-Response Follow-Up" phase of this census, census takers revisited 47 million households that had not initially responded, but still, 22% of households remained uncontacted after more than six visits, and information could only be obtained through apartment management or neighbors.