DETROIT – The U.S. Census Bureau, in coordination with federal, state and local health officials, will begin to drop off 2020 Census questionnaire packets at front doors of 106,631 households in Michigan next week.
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This is done in areas where many households do not receive mail at their physical address. The Census Bureau began hand-delivering census materials on March 15 but suspended all fieldwork for this operation on March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each week, it will determine which offices can begin ramping up again, and will keep the public informed.
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Temporary field staff from Area Census Offices in Traverse City, Detroit, Lansing, Macomb and Troy will be trained to observe all social distancing protocols and will wear official government-provided personal protective equipment for their safety and the safety of the public. This operation is contactless and follows the most current federal health and safety guidelines.
“In states where we have resumed the Update Leave operation, we are also resuming fingerprinting for new hires to keep applicants moving through the hiring process. We will also notify local law enforcement, key stakeholders, and local media that field staff will be in the area,” said the US Census Bureau in a news release.
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The agency says the operation is crucial to ensure a complete and accurate count of all communities, which helps guide hundreds of billions of dollars in public and private sector spending per year.
People are strongly encouraged to respond promptly to the 2020 Census using the ID number included in the questionnaire packet. Responding with a census ID or the paper questionnaire helps ensure the best count of their community. People can respond online, by phone or by using the paper form in the packet.
For more information, visit the 2020 Census COVID-19 operational adjustments page.
The U.S. Census Bureau shared commonly asked questions and answers regarding the census below: