MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. — Workers from the U.S. Census Bureau are visiting base housing Aug. 14 through 16.
A group of approximately 12 census takers will visit homes that haven’t yet responded to the 2020 census.
Census takers will wear masks and follow local public health guidelines during the visits. All census takers complete a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing and other health and safety protocols before beginning their work in neighborhoods.
If no one is home when the census taker visits, the census taker will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail.
The U.S. Constitution requires the U.S. Census Bureau to take count, or a census, of America’s population every decade.
The Census determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries. Communities also rely on census statistics to plan for a variety of resident needs, including new roads, schools, and emergency services. Additionally, businesses use census data to determine where to open new places to shop.
Here are some ways you can verify an individual is a Census Bureau employee:
- The census taker or field representative will present an ID badge that includes their name, their photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
- They will have an official bag and Census Bureau-issued electronic device, such as a laptop or smartphone, bearing the Census Bureau logo.
- Census takers and field representatives will conduct their work between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., local time.
- Census representatives will be at local organizations and community events with computer tablets to help individuals respond online to the 2020 census.
If residents still have questions about the census taker’s identity, they can contact the regional census center at 972-510-1800 to speak with a U.S. Census Bureau representative.