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Volusia County launches census awareness campaign

Volusia County’s Complete Count Committee has launched a public awareness campaign to educate residents about the importance of completing their census questionnaires and to increase Volusia County’s response rate.

During the 2000 Census, 67 percent of the county’s residents completed and returned their forms. “We can do better than 67 percent,” said Complete Count Committee Chair Joie Alexander, who also is the vice chair and at-large representative for the Volusia County Council. “It is critically important that we assure a complete and accurate count of Volusia County’s population because millions of dollars in federal and state funding depend on our numbers.”

The campaign will target all residents, with a special focus on groups that traditionally have low response rates. These include people living below the poverty level, minorities, immigrants and migrant workers, renters, and people receiving supplemental income.

Committee members are working closely with city representatives to ensure a consistent, coordinated message. Subcommittees also are reaching out to colleges and universities, businesses, faith-based organizations, community organizations, homeowners associations, and the agricultural community.

What is the census?

• The census is a count of everyone living in the United States every 10 years.
• The census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution.
• Your participation in the census is required by law.
• The U.S. Census bureau will mail questionnaires to every U.S. household in March 2010. Residents are required to return them by April 1.
• The questionnaire takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
• Federal law protects the personal information you share during the census.
• Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, to make decisions about what community services to provide, and to distribute $400 billion in federal funds to local governments each year.
  
  Census fact sheet
  Complete Count Committee Guide

10 questions. 10 minutes.

The 2010 census questionnaire is the shortest in history, asking only 10 questions. It should take you about 10 minutes to complete it. To read more about the questionnaire, click here. To view a sample questionnaire, click here.

Speakers available

If you would like to schedule a census presentation at your organization’s next meeting, please contact Pat Kuehn at pkuehn@co.volusia.fl.us.

Census job opportunities

The U.S. Census Bureau is recruiting temporary, part-time census takers for the 2010 Census. For information about job availability, please call the toll-free job line at (866) 861-2010 or visit www.2010censusjobs.gov.