Census canvassers checking addresses in March

Beginning late this month the Census Bureau will be sending out address canvassers as a part of early operations.

This workforce will walk or drive through neighborhoods to check that all addresses are in the bureau's database when the questionnaire is delivered in March 2010.

Officials said this early operation is vital to ensuring a complete and accurate count.

Many people don't realize that the address canvassing operation occurs as much as a year ahead of the official Census day on April 1, 2010.

Address canvassing is the first large field operation for the 2010 Census and it is designed to identify all housing units and other living quarters.

Listers will use handheld computers with maps on them to verify and list structures, including the collection of GPS coordinates for each location.

All information collected by address canvassers and other Census employees is kept confidential and cannot be shared with any other persons, institutions, or agencies.

For more information about the 2010 Census visit www.census.gov.