2010 census starts in Valley


March 26, 2009 · 5:20 PM

  • 0
  • Print Story
  • Letter/Editor

Launching the first major operation of the 2010 census, workers will begin canvassing the Snoqualmie Valley on Friday, April 20.

Through June, workers with the U.S. Census Bureau may knock on doors to verify or update an address, and may also ask if there are any other living quarters on the premises.

They will not ask for personal information, such as bank or social security numbers.

"They will not ask anything about who is living there in this first phase," said Deni Luna, a census spokesperson. "They are simply verifying addresses."

Census forms will be mailed to addresses, not people, beginning next march.

Luna said census workers take a lifetime oath to protect information, and cannot share it with anyone — law enforcement, immigration officials, even the U.S. president.

Canvassing staff will use hand-held computers and wear red, white and blue badges.

The countdown to the census is officially one year out on April 1.

“The goal of the census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place,” said Ralph Lee, Seattle regional director for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.

blog comments powered by Disqus