BOISE, Idaho — 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 some 51,000 households in Idaho on Wednesday, May 6. About 5.1 million paper questionnaires are being dropped off nationwide.
Officials said this is done in areas where the majority of households do not receive mail at their physical address.
The Census Bureau began hand-delivering census materials on March 15, but suspended all field work March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Temporary field staff have been 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. The operation follows the most current federal health and safety guidelines.
“This 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,” said Census Bureau spokeswoman Misty Slater.
“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,” she explained.
(photo courtesy: U.S. Census Bureau)
