Is that the postcard I got in today’s mail, with “Your response to the U.S. Census Bureau is required by law” in a box on the front, and several paragraphs on the back stressing how important it is that I respond, thanking me for responding if I already have, asking me to respond ASAP if I haven’t already, and providing instructions if I have any questions?
Well, if LOGIC says so, then.
Thanks for the cite regarding mailers. Maybe I read it wrong but it looks like an extrapolation based on this statement:
**
By comparing the response rates for this test which
did not use the replacement questionnaire mailing, and
the SQT which did, it was reasoned that the
replacement questionnaire could have improved
response by about another 10.4 percentage points.**
They did separate testing of other parameters such as simplifying the census, reducing the number of personal questions and including a stamped return envelope. To combine pre-mailer/post-mailer data with the other data is faulty logic in my opinion. If you remember the outcry from earlier census events there was much gnashing of teeth over the complexity and invasive nature of the questionnaires.
I challenge the logic that 90% of the “mailer effect” can be tacked on in addition to the streamlining done to fix a known problem with the census. On top of that, I just got my post mailer and it could not be a sadder example of marketing I’ve ever received. It is almost invisible next to the other junk mail.
Why don’t they just give out prizes in a drawing at the end. they would get much better compliance. Pay for the prizes with the money not used to print and send these notices.
WAG is that people would try to find ways to enter multiple times, which would, also, defeat the goal of an accurate counting.
I just got yet ANOTHER census mailer
OK I got one saying, to expect the census form
Then I got the census form (which I filled and returned the same day0
Now I get another letter saying “By now you should’ve got your census form…”
When will it end? 
And the poor census lady at the library, who is there to help people fill in the form, if they have issues, is sitting there all day with nothing to do. Either people are smart enough to fill it in themselves or they aren’t filling it in at all.
Someone at work suggested that the multiple mailings are just a way to help out the USPS!
Does that mean there won’t be the usual postage rate hike this May?
I don’t know how much the census mailings have helped the USPS, but the Postmaster General announced back in October that there will be no rate increase this year.