How to Fill Out Your 2010 Census FormA National Initiative to Achieve a Full Latino Count in the 2010 Census

• Article I of the Constitution requires a census every ten years.• The next Census occurs on April 1, 2010.• Everyone gets counted.• Forms will be mailed in March of 2010 to all households.• Census takers will follow up with non-responding households.• Bilingual census forms will be mailed in some areas

The Basic Facts

The Census Questionnaire• 10 questions

• 10 minutes

• Includes space for 12 persons living in the same household.

• If you received a bilingual Questionnaire, complete it and return it and an enumerator will not visit your home.

• If you did NOT received a bilingual questionnaire, you can request one by calling

1-866-928-2010 (Spanish). 1-866-872-6868 (English)

• You can call 1-866-928-2010 (in Spanish) or 1-866-872-6868 (in English) after April 22 and provide you information over the telephone.

How the Census Information is Used• To reapportion Congressional seats to each state based on population

and to draw congressional and state legislative districts. In some communities, Census data are also used to decide City, County and School Board seats.

• Governments, businesses and nonprofits rely on census data to determine locations for schools, hospitals, new housing developments, retail stores, and other community facilities.

• Census data directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal and state funding is allocated to communities for neighborhood improvements, public health, education, transportation and much more.

• Census data are used to protect our civil rights such as enforcement of The Voting Rights Act.

• Everyone is required by law to participate. • The information on your census form is completely

confidential, as mandated by federal law.• The Census Bureau does NOT share your personal

information with courts, the police, or other federal departments such as: Department of Housing and Urban Development Department of Homeland Security or Immigration

Responses are Confidential

Who is counted• The Census must count every person living in the

United States on April 1, 2010.

• The census counts both citizens and non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants.

• All people, including babies, who live and sleep here most of the time.

• Persons who do not have a permanent place to stay and are staying here on April 1, 2010.

Who is not Counted

• Anyone who is living away either at college or in the Armed Forces

• Anyone who is staying at a nursing home, jail, prison, detention facility, etc., on April 1, 2010– Do not include these people on the form, even if they

will live there after they leave college, the military, jail, etc.

Question on the Census Form

10 Questions in 10 Minutes

If there are more than one person in your house or apartment there are 7 questions that will be asked of them.

Step by Step Guide

First Question

Explanation:Write the number of people living in the

homeInclude everyone regardless of

immigration status

1. How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2010?

Second Question

Options:Children, such as newborn babies or foster childrenRelatives, such as adult children, cousins, or in-lawsNonrelatives, such as roommates or live-in baby sittersPeople staying here temporarilyNo additional people

Were there any additional people staying here April 1, 2010 that you did not include in Question 1?

Third Question

Options:Owned by you or someone in this household with

a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans.Owned by you or someone in this household free

and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?Rented?Occupied without payment of rent?

Is this house, apartment, or mobile home-

Fourth Question

Explanation:It is possible that the office of the Census

may call you if they do not understand an answer.

Area Code and NumberFor example (123) 456-7890

What is your telephone number?

Fifth Question

Explanation: Identify the Head of the HouseholdWrite their Last Name, First Name, and Middle InitialThe information is confidential

Provide information for each person living here. Start with a person living here who owns or rents this house, apartment or mobile home. If the owner or renter lives somewhere else, start with any adult living here.

What is Person 1’s name?

Sixth Question

Options:Male Female

What is Person’s 1 sex?

Seventh Question

Report babies as age 0 when the child is less than 1 year old.

Write the age of Person 1 on April 1, 2010 Write the numbers of the date of birth on the boxes in this

order:

For example Month Day Year01 01 2010

What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of birth?

Explanation:Eight Question

Answer question about Hispanic origin.Everyone must answer the Hispanic origin question.It refers to nationality, lineage or country where your parents or ancestors were born.For the purposes of this Census, Hispanic origin is not a race.People of Hispanic origin may be of any race and can choose one or more race categoriesPeople of Hispanic origin are asked to indicate the specific group they belong to or write it in.

Eight Question

Options:No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish originYes, Mexican, Mexican American, ChicanoYes, Puerto RicanYes, CubanYes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin – Write

in the origin in the box provided, for example, Argentinean, Colombian, Dominican, etc.

Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

Ninth Question

Explanation:Question: What is your race?

Race refers to groups subdivided base on a series of characteristics that are inherited through genetics.

You are asked to indicate the specific group to which you belong to- you are allowed to choose more than one option.

You will be able to write in your race if it is not listed as and option.

Subject: Race

Ninth QuestionWhat is Person 1’s

race? (Mark one or more boxes)

If you do not identify with any of the specified race groups, you may mark “Some other race” category and write in your race.

Tenth Question

Explanation:If this is your only place of residence mark NOIf you sometimes live or stay somewhere else

mark YES and indicate all the places that apply

Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else?

Additional PersonsExplanation:• If there is more than one person living there on April 1, 2010,

you will have to answer 7 additional questions per person• Provided the following information on all additional person

that live here:

Additional PersonsFirst Question

Explanation:Print the Name of First Additional PersonWrite Last Name, First Name, and Middle InitialThis information is confidential

Additional PersonsSecond Question

How is this person related to Person 1?

Explanation:Beginning with Person 2Note the relationship, if any, of all the other persons living here with Person 1

Additional PersonsThird Question

Options:MaleFemale

What is this person’s sex?

Additional Persons

Fourth Question

Please report babies as age 0 when the child is less than 1 year old.Write the age on April 1, 2010Write the numbers of the date of birth on the boxes in this order:

For example Month Day Year01 01 2010

What is this person’s age and what is this person’s date of birth?

Additional PersonsFifth Question

Options:No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish originYes, Mexican, Mexican American, ChicanoYes, Puerto RicanYes, CubanYes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin –

Write the origin on the box below, for example, Argentinean, Colombian, etc.

Is this person of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?Remember that everyone must answer this question

Additional PersonSixth Question

What is this person’s race? (Mark one or more boxes)If you do not identify

with any of the specified race groups, you may mark “Some other race” category and write in your race.

Additional PersonsSeventh Question

Does this person sometimes live or stay somewhere else?Explanation:

If this is their only place of residence, write NO If the person sometime stays or lives somewhere else, write YES

and mark all the place on the list that apply

Additional Persons

• If there is more than one person living here, the questionnaire allows for a total of 12 persons per household.

• Include all persons living in your household including:Converted garages (with or without permit)

Additions (with or without a separate address)

Trailers, etc

Need More Help:Census Bureau

1-866-928-2010 for assistance in Spanish1-866-872-6868 for assistance in English

1-877-EL- CENSO (35- 23676)