What does a census taker do?
Dateline: 04/27/00
Americans who, for whatever reason, did not complete and return a Census 2000 questionnaire can expect a personal visit from a census "enumerator" sometime between today and July 8th.
What do the enumerators -- census takers -- have to do? According to Census Bureau Director Kenneth W. Prewitt's April 5, 2000 testimony to the House Subcommittee on the Census, "Each enumerator is given a binder of addresses in that area that includes all those addresses for which we have not received a completed questionnaire. Because houses without numbers and street name addresses can be difficult to find, enumerators in rural areas also receive maps that have the housing unit locations spotted on them. The enumerator must go to each address in the assignment area to complete the appropriate questionnaire (either short form or long form) for the housing unit and its occupants."
For each address, the enumerator must then:
- Interview a household member at least 15 years of age and completes the
assigned questionnaire.
If the unit was occupied by a different household on Census Day, the enumerator completes a questionnaire for the occupants who lived there on Census Day by interviewing a knowledgeable person, such as a neighbor.
If the current occupants were not enumerated elsewhere, the enumerator will also complete a census questionnaire for them for their Census Day address.
If the housing unit was vacant on Census Day, the enumerator completes appropriate housing questions on the questionnaire by interviewing a knowledgeable person, such as a neighbor or apartment house manager.
If the housing unit was demolished or otherwise nonexistent under census definitions, the enumerator completes a questionnaire that provides the reason why the unit should be deleted from the census address list, by interviewing a knowledgeable respondent such as a neighbor or apartment house manager.
What if nobody's home? Will the census taker just go away? Yes, but he or she will most certainly be back.
Next page Census takers just keep on trying >Page 1, 2
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