# Census: Test Questionnaire with Citizenship Question **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 20, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363 "2019-07-20T20:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/1 "2019-07-20T20:14:26Z")
We had a piece of mail addressed to our neighbor misdelivered to our house today (we’ve taken it to our neighbor). The envelope was from the US Census Bureau and it said “Your Response is Required by Law.” It looked completely legit, but I googled to see if there were any scams going around because I didn’t think census forms would be sent out this early. Turns out, they’re doing a test: [Census Bureau Announces 2019 Census Test to Begin](https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/2019-test-begins.html) From the website: > [@](#): > > The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the 2019 Census Test will begin this week, as approximately 480,000 housing units across the country receive a questionnaire testing the operational effects of including a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. The 2019 Census Test will randomly assign households to two panels and ask them to respond to the 2020 Census questions. Panel A will include the question on citizenship, Panel B will not. > > Findings from the nationwide test will assist in determining updates to 2020 Census operations, such as how many census takers are needed to follow up with nonresponding households and how to better communicate with households about the 2020 Census. WTF? If they were doing a test to see how many census takers they’d need, why include the citizenship question? This is just a back door way to get the answer to this question. How random was their address list? What exactly is the breakdown between Panel A and Panel B? Theoretically, they could have sent out 479000 questionnaires with a question that’s not allowed (currently) on the official census. Man, I hate these assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/2 "2019-07-20T20:38:03Z")
You could (gasp!) just obey the law, answer the question truthfully, and go on with your life. I know it’s hard to imagine illegal immigrants obeying the law, but it just might be possible. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/3 "2019-07-20T20:49:07Z")
I suppose you have a list of the times that Obama told the Supreme Court to shove their decision up their collective ass, right? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/4 "2019-07-20T21:09:12Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > You could (gasp!) just obey the law, answer the question truthfully, and go on with your life. Holy shit you’re dumb. Reread the OP: if C3 answers the question, they’re breaking the law. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/5 "2019-07-20T21:47:27Z")
If it isn’t the official census, I don’t see where answering it is required. Just another way for this criminal administration to ignore court decisions it doesn’t like. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/census-test-questionnaire-with-citizenship-question/837363/6 "2019-07-20T21:56:03Z")
> [@C3](#): > > We had a piece of mail addressed to our neighbor misdelivered to our house today (we’ve taken it to our neighbor). The envelope was from the US Census Bureau and it said “Your Response is Required by Law.” It looked completely legit, but I googled to see if there were any scams going around because I didn’t think census forms would be sent out this early. > > Turns out, they’re doing a test: [Census Bureau Announces 2019 Census Test to Begin](https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/2019-test-begins.html) > > From the website: > WTF? If they were doing a test to see how many census takers they’d need, why include the citizenship question? This is just a back door way to get the answer to this question. How random was their address list? What exactly is the breakdown between Panel A and Panel B? Theoretically, they could have sent out 479000 questionnaires with a question that’s not allowed (currently) on the official census. Man, I hate these assholes. I’d run that by your local ACLU before doing any fucking thing with it.