Liberty County 2010 Census
What is the 2010 Census?
The Census is a count of all residents in the United States. The U.S. Census is taken every 10 years. The Census is required by the U.S. Constitution.
Why Do We Count Residents?
The Census determines representation in the U.S. Congress. Georgia currently has 13 Congressional Representatives. The 2010 Census will determine how many Congressional Representatives we have in the next decade.
When is the Census?
The 2010 Census will take place on April 1, 2010. Questionnaires will be sent to every address in the nation.
How does the Census Bureau Count Us?
Questionnaires will be mailed one to three weeks before Census Day, April 1, 2010. Residents complete the questionnaire and mail it back to the Census Bureau.
Importance
Why the Census Is Important
The census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is conducted every 10 years as mandated by the United States Constitution, Article 1, Section 2. The first census was taken in 1790, by the U.S. marshals on horseback and counted 3.9 million people. The most recent census was taken in 2000 and counted more than 281 million people. The census is the foundation for measuring the nation's population and includes all persons dwelling in the U.S., including citizens and non-citizens.
When the census first began in 1790, its sole purpose was to determine the number of seats each state had in the U.S. House of Representatives. Today, in addition to this purpose, the U.S. Census also affects the amount of federal funding received by the states, counties, and cities.
The planning of state and community infrastructure such as, schools, government services, highways and roads, and senior centers is based on data derived from the U.S. Census. In fiscal year 2000, 85 percent of federal government grants to state and local governments were distributed based on state population and personal income. Every year, about $300 billion in federal funds are distributed to local, state, and tribal governments based on census data.
Questionnaire
The Census Questionnaire
On March 15, 2010, census questionnaires will be mailed to every household throughout Liberty County. For the 2010 Census, The U.S. Census Bureau has opted to use only a short-form questionnaire. The questionnaire will count all residents living in the United States, as well as ask for name, gender, age, date of birth, race, ethnicity, relationship and housing information. This form will take just minutes to complete. The questionnaires are available in six primary languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Russian. The questionnaires display both English and Spanish Telephone Questionnaire Assistance (TQA) telephone numbers. The U.S. Census Bureau will establish a phone number to request the census form in a language other than English. The phone number will be posted on this website as soon as it is available.
Process
Summary of the Census Process
On March 15, 2010, census questionnaires will be mailed out to every household throughout the United States. These short-forms take only minutes to fill out, but will have an impact on our community for the next 10 years. On April 1, 2010, Census Day, the census questionnaires are due back by mail. Households that do not return their completed census form by mail will be visited by census takers.
Information obtained by Census Bureau employees is kept with strict confidentiality. Census Bureau employees have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and are subject to a jail term, fine - or both - for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent of household. This door-to-door collection of census data will last through July 2010.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Exactly who is counted during the census count?
2. How many questions will the 2010 Census entail?
3. How secure and confidential is my census information?
4. Does the Census Bureau share information with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Internal Revenue Service, courts, or the police?
5. What does decennial mean?
6. When and how will the census take place?
7. What can I do to help?
8. How does census information affect my community?
9. Do I have to respond to the Census?
10. What is a Complete Count Committee?
11. What is apportionment?
1. Exactly who is counted during the census count?
The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and America Samoa. This count includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups - both citizens and non-citizens.
2. How many questions will the 2010 Census entail?
The 2010 Census questionnaire has 10 easy questions for the head-of-household. For each additional person living in the household, there are seven of the same questions asked to the head-of-household. The simple, short questionnaire takes only minutes to complete and return by mail.
3. How secure and confidential is my census information?
Your census information is very secure. Every Census Bureau worker takes an oath for life to protect the confidentiality of census responses. Violation would result in a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine up to $250,000. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual's answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.
4. Does the Census Bureau share information with the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the Internal Revenue Service, courts, or the police?
No, individual census records are not shared with anyone, including government agencies or private organizations. It is unlawful for the Census Bureau to give personally identifiable information about an individual to any other individual or agency for 72 years after it is collected. After 72 years, the individual census records are sent to the National Archives where they are made public primarily for genealogical research.
5. What does decennial mean?
Decennial means every 10 years. Therefore, the census is called the "decennial census" because it occurs every 10 years.
6. When and how will the census take place?
On March 15, census questionnaires are mailed or delivered to households. Questionnaires are due by Census Day, April 1, 2010. Households that do not return completed questionnaire by mail will be visited by census takers between April 2010 and July 2010. The census takers will physically knock on the doors of households that did not respond to the initial mail-back questionnaire to obtain the required census information. By December 2010 the Census Bureau delivers population counts to the President for apportionment, the process of proportionately dividing the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states.
7. What can I do to help?
Tell your family, friends, and neighbors about the importance of the census, and encourage them return their completed census forms. Word-of-mouth is the best publicity the census can have.
8. How does census information affect my community?
Census data is used to determine the need for social services, including community development block grants and other grant programs essential to many communities. Census information helps determine locations for schools, roads, hospitals, child-care and senior centers, and more.
9. Do I have to respond to the Census?
Yes, your participation in the 2010 Census is vital and required by law - Title 13 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. By being counted, you help ensure that your community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding. The census form will only take about 10 minutes to complete.
10. What is a Complete Count Committee?
The Liberty County Complete Count Committee includes representatives from community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, local governments, media and advertising groups, and businesses that are putting forth their time and resources to ensure an accurate count of the people who reside in Liberty County in the 2010 Census.
11. What is apportionment?
Apportionment is the process of proportionately dividing the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the 50 states.
Liberty County Complete Count Committee
Structure: The Complete Count Committee is the backbone of the Liberty County 2010 Census Awareness Campaign. The Committee members represent Liberty County's diverse population, as well as many organizations throughout the county. Every member on the committee offers a unique perspective and will help ensure many different channels and mediums of exposure. These people represent various groups and will help reach specifically targeted groups and communities.
Objective: Together we will develop an outreach strategy that ensures every resident in Liberty County is counted and avoids an undercount in the 2010 Census. Our campaign will inform, enlighten, and inspire the residents of Liberty County to be counted in the 2010 Census. In working with the Complete Count Committee, we will be able to reach different demographic groups that reside in Liberty County.
Target Market: Ideally, the target of the initiative would be every man, woman, and child who live in Liberty County. To help achieve this goal, we will focus on the hard-to reach residents of Liberty County. These groups include African-Americans, migrant workers, Hispanics, immigrants, children, Asian-Americans and young adult males. Historically, these groups have had a low response rate to the census; therefore, the Complete Count Committee will focus on identifying strategies for reaching these hard-to-reach populations.
Committee Members
(Information will be provided later)
Committee Meeting Schedule
(Information will be provided later)
Contact Us
Questions about the Liberty County 2010 Census Awareness Campaign or the Liberty County Complete Count Committee should be directed to:
Kathy Poole
(912) 977-1426
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