# The Census is underway! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 12, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313 "2020-03-12T02:53:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Yankees\_1996\_Champs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Yankees\_1996\_Champs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yankees_1996_Champs)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/41 "2020-03-16T22:26:28Z")
The 2020 Census should be delayed until May or June…after this coronavirus pandemic is over. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/42 "2020-03-16T22:52:20Z")
It’s a snail mail form or an email thing. You don’t have to even lick a stamp if you don’t wanna. I filled my out in a hospital room and sent Mr.Wrekker to mail it. Painless, took 5 min. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/43 "2020-03-16T23:15:33Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Just to mention, this is the first census in which I appear since 1990. The online option means this is the first time I will appear since 1990 as well. The difference being that I was living here for both of the last two. They just didn’t find me. I didn’t actually fill out the census in 1990 either. I was in college and I believe my parents included me at my home of legal residence. Maybe I should dress like Waldo for a couple weeks just to make sure they finally find me. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/44 "2020-03-17T01:33:26Z")
> [@tripthicket](#): > > Did mine online a couple days ago. Checked off the ‘White’ box, but then it wanted ‘So, German, French, what, what ARE you, exactly?’ I dunno, my mom was adopted, so knew nothing of her history, and I never knew much about my biological father’s history. _shrug_ I guess it’s important, but I don’t know why. Always looked kinda askance at anything asking my race anyway. After leaving that box blank twice, it accepted my non-answer. _poof_ Done. Y’know, if you leave it blank, it\* is \*colored white… Got a phone call… I’m hired! I’ll be finding people who refused to be counted electronically or on paper… “So, I’ll be charming people into complying?” “That’s a good way to look at it!” ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/45 "2020-03-17T01:46:22Z")
Hurray for you, digs, I know you wanted it. Just because I am being nosy, how much will you be making? My friends are making 16.50/hr and mileage. Two in Texas and 1 in Arizona. I’m just wondering if the pay is regional. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/46 "2020-03-17T02:12:32Z")
> [@Yankees\_1996\_Champs](#): > > The 2020 Census should be delayed until May or June…after this coronavirus pandemic is over. Why? The virus isn’t infecting the Internet. If I go to the Census page and fill out the data for me, can my co-occupants (I’m not sure they even rise to the status of roommate) then go there and add their info? Or does it have to be done all at once? The reason I haven’t done it yet is because I don’t know their info. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/47 "2020-03-17T02:22:32Z")
(checks paper instructions and FAQ received in the mail) If you don’t complete it all at one go, you’ll have to start all over when you come back to it (online version). (Edited to add) The form is for a given place where people are living, not just families. If there are three un-related roommates in one condo, say, there is one form to be filled out for that address, with the info for all three roommates to be included. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/48 "2020-03-17T02:28:18Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Hurray for you, digs, I know you wanted it. Just because I am being nosy, how much will you be making? My friends are making 16.50/hr and mileage. Two in Texas and 1 in Arizona. I’m just wondering if the pay is regional. Well, I don’t like to talk about money… but I might be making $5 more than your friends in the boonies :~} I was worried about doing this right now (I’m self-hunkering, with stacks of comic books, Lucky Charms and the Dope). But when I heard that training will start in May, with visitations later, I was very relieved. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/49 "2020-03-17T02:49:07Z")
Still haven’t seen anything from the census. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/50 "2020-03-17T12:10:57Z")
Yesterday’s mail brought me a second census letter identical to the first except it was dated 4 days later and it just happened to be yesterday’s date! Wow - instant delivery - impressive. How much money is being wasted mailing out dupes? I completed it for our household last week - it’s not like they waited a while to see if I’d respond to the first mailing. Your tax dollars at work… ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/51 "2020-03-17T12:58:07Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > Hurray for you, digs, I know you wanted it. Just because I am being nosy, how much will you be making? My friends are making 16.50/hr and mileage. Two in Texas and 1 in Arizona. I’m just wondering if the pay is regional. Yes, pay is regional. Here in Cambria county, PA we’re getting $15.50 an hour plus mileage. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/52 "2020-03-17T23:36:41Z")
Me and mother(we will live in separate apartments) got the letters a week ago in the mail so I did mine and helped her do hers online that day. Two days ago we both got another letter with our addresses saying to go online to fill out the form. It was the exact same letter. Has this happened to anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/53 "2020-03-18T00:35:24Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Two days ago we both got another letter with our addresses saying to go online to fill out the form. It was the exact same letter. Has this happened to anyone else? Yup. One last week which I filled out promptly, another yesterday. They’re trying to cover all bases it seems, including lost mail. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/54 "2020-03-18T12:12:36Z")
Yes. Two identical letters, one day apart. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/55 "2020-03-18T13:41:52Z")
Still nothing here. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/56 "2020-03-18T17:50:16Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Me and mother(we will live in separate apartments) got the letters a week ago in the mail so I did mine and helped her do hers online that day. > > Two days ago we both got another letter with our addresses saying to go online to fill out the form. It was the exact same letter. Has this happened to anyone else? IIRC, after completing the online form, it said I’d probably get a few more pieces of mail and to ignore them. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/57 "2020-03-18T19:44:05Z")
I put White and left what flavor thereof blank. The web version wouldn’t let me leave the page, so I filled in “Mixed Race”. Hope that’s ok… I mean, I’m Irish/Scots/Swiss/DanishModern/Viking/Dutch (and whatever that traveling lightning rod salesman was…). Back in '80 I was about to mark White, looked at my hand on the page and said “Waiiit, I’m not \*white…” \*So I wrote in “Pink”. ---
**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 18, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/58 "2020-03-18T19:50:47Z")
Got mine in the mail today and just finished the online form. I’m white, so I checked that, but I really don’t know the blend of white, so I left that blank. I also did not give them a phone number. I have no landline, and my cell sends any calls not in my contacts to voicemail, which I delete after reading. Why do they repeatedly word it “live or stay” and “living or staying”. Is there some subtle difference between the two states of being? ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/59 "2020-03-18T19:50:53Z")
I answered “don’t care” for what kind of white we are. Because, I don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313/60 "2020-03-18T21:50:11Z")
Update: the Census is suspended until April 1st at least. As to the flavor of white question? We used Mutt. Next time we will use “don’t care”, its a better answer than ours! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-census-is-underway/849313.md?page=4)