# Perusing my Census Form **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 16, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695 "2010-03-16T20:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/21 "2010-03-17T02:09:52Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > …and damn if I’m not tempted to put down a “3” under number of people in the household and leave the rest blank. You really think they would send the FBI after me? > > I know I have bigger battles to fight, but could a lawyer type cite me where in the constitution gives Congress the authority to require me to disclose anything more than that? I’m feeling peckish today 😉 Why do you feel that way? Do you think you’re a rebel or something? The Census is about as non-personal as it gets. You have to input more personal information to sign up for the god-damn Hello Kitty fan website (not that I would know, or anything). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/22 "2010-03-17T02:11:06Z")
If you don’t answer as instructed, a census worker will show up at your door. The last time around, there was a fine for refusing to fill it out or doing it fraudulently, $100. I refused to tell the worker anything else than the number of adults living at that address – which is all that is needed to properly allocate representation and services – and said I’d pay the $100 as the price of freedom. She left and no bill arrived. My frame of mind hasn’t changed since. Hope the fine hasn’t gone up. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/23 "2010-03-17T02:13:48Z")
I live by myself. It took me all of 42 seconds to fill out the form. I did put it in the envelope upside down though. Will that make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/24 "2010-03-17T02:14:43Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I was a manager for the census in 2000. While you are required to fill out the census, they will not pursue legal enforcement of it. > > \ > > 1. They send a manager to ask you the questions on the form and, if needed, locate a postal worker to go through your mail and look for unique names to count. Only postal workers can handle mail and none is opened, but they are allowed to flip through the mail and find out how many live there. > > \ If they try that with me, they will find an army of names and conclude the wrong number because I every item I sign up for uses a different name. Better to take my word for it, which is accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/25 "2010-03-17T02:22:19Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > I live by myself. It took me all of 42 seconds to fill out the form. I did put it in the envelope upside down though. Will that make a difference? I think the bar code is supposed to be showing. 42 seconds is about how long it took me to do it as well, and considering that the 42 seconds I spent on it will get the state of Wisconsin about $24000, I think it was time well spent. Seriously, they only people I _get_, not filling it out is illegal immigrants. Now, from what I understand, the census workers really, really, really, don’t care if you are here illegally, they won’t even tell anyone, they just need to know if you’re here. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/26 "2010-03-17T02:30:17Z")
Regardless of what it says on the envelope about ‘required by law’, or the Title 13 talk of fines, or the insistance of Census Bureau employees, no penalties are ever applied for failure to comply. As in _never_ applied. Not in 2000, 1990, 1980, 1970 or in the perpetual new long form called the American Community Survey that goes out every month. _Not one single person_ has ever been fined in more than 50 years. In 1960 two people involved in a local political spat were charged and the issue was dropped without result. The Census Bureau itself has no law enforcement authority and no employee, even the director, is empowered to levy fines, that would have to come from a federal court. So if you don’t want to fill it out, don’t. Someone may come to visit and you just refuse to provide them with any info and they will go away. Interviewing your neighbors used to be done but this information by proxy is no longer allowed in the field protocol. Proxy information cannot be used. Any census employee that attempts to fill out your form with neighbor proxy information can be prosecuted. After my experience with the ACS a couple years ago I no longer cooperate with the Census Bureau, once I was clear in my refusal they left me alone. The census has become a tool for entrenching and perpetuating racial discrimination and I just toss anything I get from them. The 2010 form that came in the mail today went right into the roundy file. Someone may show up in person in May and I will be politely uncooperative. Fill it out if you want, but you can’t be compelled to if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/27 "2010-03-17T02:30:43Z")
Right. We are very specifically told over and over and over that we are NOT to inquire about the legality of anyone we meet, and should anyone admit to being illegal we are to forget it immediately and never divulge that information to anyone ever. The Census Does Not Care about that. Not that anyone believes us. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/28 "2010-03-17T02:33:21Z")
It just took me under a minute to complete my form. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/29 "2010-03-17T02:35:33Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > I found out today that despite paying taxes and voting in Nevada, I am not allowed to be counted in the population of Nevada to determine Congressional representation. > > Us overseas Americans have taxation without real representation. I am a legal resident of Nevada, but of course pay no income tax and own no property there. Yet, oddly they have to let me vote. Go figure. For the purposes of representation, prisoners, minors, aliens (including illegal aliens) all count. US citizens abroad don’t. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/30 "2010-03-17T03:04:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Of course not. The FBI does not enforce the census. They will send a census employee after you. > > By all means, feel free to do that - the tens of thousands of enumerators will be happy to have the work. If everyone filled out their forms completely I’d be out of job. I would also add to Broomstick’s admonition, we (enumerators) were told repeatedly that is threatened in any manner, call local law enforcement FIRST, then you crew leader. And, in fact, one of my fellow crewmembers on the update/leave operation had to do just that when threatened with a firearm. So, although there may not be a penalty for refusing to answer the census, there are serious penalties for threatening a federal employee. Be polite in your refusal and I get to come and visit you UP TO SIX TIMES!!! YAY…more of your tax money for me. 😃 (I love this job…best temp job I ever had) ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/31 "2010-03-17T03:39:01Z")
I was amused, because the census form asks what my birthdate is, and how old I will be… on my birthdate, April 1st. I briefly pondered writing a note that I couldn’t answer that question truthfully without knowing which _hour_ on April 1st that they wanted to know my age. Because I shouldn’t be the only one pained by crappy “April Fools” jokes. But I wouldn’t do that to someone. So I just chose to be a year older, and sent it in. In 10 years, maybe I’ll choose to be a year _younger_, and see if the data mismatch grinds all the government computers to a halt. The government _does_ use computer models from 1970s movies, right? Computer, I am lying to you now. _government collapses_ ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/32 "2010-03-17T04:01:33Z")
This is my first census and I’m kind of bummed that the questions are so blah. No one ever wants to know about the real _me_. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/33 "2010-03-17T04:39:12Z")
We just did ours tonight. It was the first time doing a census form for both of us, so I guess this will be the only time we do it with something resembling real interest. The writing style reminded me of standardized tests from elementary school, which were written so a stalk of celery could understand them. I’ll mail it tomorrow and we’ll see if I can resist putting in a snide answer under “race.” ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/34 "2010-03-17T05:28:01Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > If you don’t answer as instructed, a census worker will show up at your door. > > The last time around, there was a fine for refusing to fill it out or doing it fraudulently, $100. I refused to tell the worker anything else than the number of adults living at that address – which is all that is needed to properly allocate representation and services – and said I’d pay the $100 as the price of freedom. She left and no bill arrived. > > My frame of mind hasn’t changed since. Hope the fine hasn’t gone up. At the very least they need people’s ages to properly allocate services: For example they need to know how many children there are, in order to allocate funding for schools. ---
**Author:** ![txobbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e8c25b/32.png) [@txobbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/txobbin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/35 "2010-03-17T07:33:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Lightray** … > I was amused, because the census form asks what my birthdate is, and how old I will be… on my birthdate, April 1st.\* > > \ > [@](#): > > A message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau… > Please complete and mail back the enclosed census form **today**. But, but, April 1st is _two weeks away_! I am supposed to see into the future and know for sure he\*\* won’t be gone by then? 😛 \*Preemptive HAPPY BIRTHDAY! to **Lightray**! \*\*Not really a boarder, per se, an ex-relative who basically had no where else to go and my passive-aggressive self trying to be nice and all… yeah, I counted him. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/36 "2010-03-17T10:46:40Z")
> [@Desert\_Nomad](#): > > I found out today that despite paying taxes and voting in Nevada, I am not allowed to be counted in the population of Nevada to determine Congressional representation. > > Us overseas Americans have taxation without real representation. None of you has any representation in Congress–unless you can afford to hire a lobbyist. The finest congress money can buy. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/37 "2010-03-17T11:11:53Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > At the very least they need people’s ages to properly allocate services: For example they need to know how many children there are, in order to allocate funding for schools. So the number of persons living at that address, if all adults, would satisfy that, right? That’s all they’re getting from this household. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/38 "2010-03-17T11:18:30Z")
Here’s food for thought. The information the Census survey asks for is a lot less private than the information you have to give on your 1040 every year. And unlike the IRS, the Census Bureau can’t share the information with law enforcement. So it’s not like you’ll get cops knocking on your door wanting to discuss your Census form with them. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/39 "2010-03-17T11:28:33Z")
1. The census asks about who will be living here on April 1st. Since I cannot predict the future, I can’t fill out (or at least send in) the form until or after 1 April. 2. The form does take longer to fill out the more persons who reside at your address, and even more so if you’re not of pure lineage and have to filter through all of the questions on race, etc. I was bemused to find some of the examples of “race” used. 3. I do find it odd that all relationships are viewed from the perspective of relation to the first person on the form. Only. So they’ll find out who is related to either my wife or me (she filled out most of the form, so I’m not sure who is first yet) but not the relationship to the other. Why not ask about both? Or did I miss something there? 4. Will it spur the economy if I skip sending in the form and wait for a human to show up on my doorstep? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695/40 "2010-03-17T12:26:36Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Seriously, why did you blow your stack at her? She’s just doing her job. Would you appreciate it if you showed up to work and one of the clients threatened to blow your head off? C’mon people - census employees are people, too! At the time, I had many personal issues going on and preferred to stay as far under the radar as possible. Also, I did/do not answer my door unless I expect someone. This goes for friends/relatives/strangers/etc. The Census woman would, knowing there was someone inside, pound on the door relentlessly. I just turned up my music. When she showed up at my place of business I thought that was entirely inappropriate. She told an employee of mine that I was “ducking” her at my home. I didn’t feel that she had any business saying that. So, I blew up at her. No, I would not harm her in any way, but I was very pissed off. > [@Ravenman](#): > > Furthermore, by not filling out the form correctly, you are wasting taxpayer money. It costs an average of $56 each time a census taker is sent to track you down. Wasting money? How much money was wasted in sending _every fuckinbody_ a letter telling them that they would be receiving their census paperwork in a week? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perusing-my-census-form/532695.md?page=3)