The U.S. Census Bureau has announced that Michigan is one of a handful of states that has exceeded its mail-in participation rate from the 2000 census. Michigan's return rate of 77%, ranked in the top five states in the country! And Livonia ranked first in participation in the entire country for cities over 50,000 in population.
The Bureau reports that after 20 years of decline, this census beat the odd and the mail-in rate matched that of the last census. In the 2000 census, a long and short form were used. The overall participation rate in 2000 for both forms was 69%, 72% for the short form itself. Using just one form this time around, the participation rate has matched that of the short form in 2000 at 72%
Now begins the work of census workers going door to door in an effort to ensure the most accurate count possible. Census takers will be knocking on doors to ask the same questions. They will not ask to enter the home. Be sure Michigan continues its top five return ranking by communicating with residents the importance of answering the questions, if a census worker should knock on their door.
And you can check local participation rates in your own community by checking the Census Bureau's on-line interactive map.
Arnold Weinfeld covers federal issues for the Michigan Municipal League. He can be reached at 517-908-0304 or by e-mail.
86144ab7-4904-4fea-92dc-058a29bc1e58|1|5.0
