Self Response Operations

Predecisional DRAFT - Internal Use Only - 7/24/18

Your Guide to the 2020 Census

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How to Respond to the 2020 Census
Paper Questionnaire

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Welcome to the 2020 Census
Everyone counts.
The goal of this census is to count every living person
in the U.S. once, only once, and in the right place.
We need your help to make sure everyone in your
community gets counted.

Census data are important.

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The U.S. Constitution requires a census every 10 years.
The results are used to determine the number of seats
each state has in Congress, draw boundaries for voting
districts, and determine how more than $675 billion in
federal funding is spent in communities each year.

Taking part is your civic duty.

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Completing the census is required; it is a way to
participate in our democracy and say “I count!”

Your information is confidential.
Federal law protects your responses. Your answers can
only be used to produce statistics and cannot be used
against you by any government agency or court.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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This is the official questionnaire for this address.
It is quick and easy to respond, and your answers are protected by law.

FOR
OFFICIAL
USE ONLY

Start here

OR go online at XXXX.XXXX.gov to complete your 2020 Census questionnaire.

Use a blue or black pen.

2.

Were there any additional people staying here on April 1, 2020
that you did not include in Question 1?

3.

Is this house, apartment, or mobile home — Mark K
IJ ONE box.

Before you answer Question 1, count the people living in this
house, apartment, or mobile home using our guidelines.

Mark IJ
K all that apply.
Children, related or unrelated, such as newborn babies,
grandchildren, or foster children

• Count all people, including babies, who live and sleep here
most of the time.
• If no one lives and sleeps at this address most of the time, go
online at XXXX.XXXX.gov or call the number on page 8.

Relatives, such as adult children, cousins, or in-laws
Nonrelatives, such as roommates or live-in babysitters
People staying here temporarily

The census must also include people without a permanent
place to live, so:
• If someone who does not have a permanent place to live is
staying here on April 1, 2020, count that person.

No additional people

Owned by you or someone in this household with a mortgage
or loan? Include home equity loans.

The Census Bureau also conducts counts in institutions and
other places, so:
• Do not count anyone living away from here, either at college
or in the Armed Forces.
• Do not count anyone in a nursing home, jail, prison, detention
facility, etc., on April 1, 2020.
• Leave these people off your questionnaire, even if they will
return to live here after they leave college, the nursing home,
the military, jail, etc. Otherwise, they may be counted twice.

1.

Owned by you or someone in this household free and clear
(without a mortgage or loan)?
Rented?
Occupied without payment of rent?

4.

What is your telephone number?
We will only contact you if needed for official Census Bureau
business.
Telephone Number

How many people were living or staying in this house,
apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2020?

–

Use this guide to complete the 2020
Census paper questionnaire.
2020 Census paper questionnaires will arrive in
mailboxes and on doorsteps throughout the nation.

–

Number of people =

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U.S. Census Bureau

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Before You Begin
1. Find your questionnaire and open it to the first page.
2. Use the information in this guide to mark your responses on the paper
questionnaire. DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE.

Who to Count

The Census Bureau also conducts
counts in institutions and other
places:

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Count the people living in this
house, apartment or mobile home:

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3. Before you answer the first question, count the people living in this
house, apartment, or mobile home using the guidelines below.

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• Count all people, including
babies, who live and sleep here
most of the time.
• If no one lives or sleeps at
this address most of the time,
respond online.

The census must also include
people without a permanent place
to live:
• If someone who does not have
a permanent place to live is
staying here on April 1, 2020,
count that person.

• Do not count anyone in a
nursing home, jail, prison,
detention facility, etc., on April 1,
2020.
• Leave these people off your
questionnaire, even if they will
return to live here after they
leave college, the nursing home,
the military, jail, etc. Otherwise,
they may be counted twice.

Read the questions and instructions on the next page.
Do not write your answers on this guide.
U.S. Census Bureau 3

Predecisional DRAFT - Internal Use Only - 7/24/18

Complete the questions on the front page
DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE
How many people were living or staying in this
house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1, 2020?

Number of People

Were there any additional people staying here on
April 1, 2020 that you did not include in Question 1?
Mark

all that apply.

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„„ Children, related or unrelated, such as newborn
babies, grandchildren, or foster children

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„„ Relatives, such as adult children, cousins, or in-laws
„„ Nonrelatives, such as roommates or live-in
babysitters

„„ People staying here temporarily

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„„ No additional people

Is this house, apartment, or mobile homeMark

ONE box.

„„ Owned by you or someone in this household with
a mortgage or loan? Include home equity loans.

„„ Owned by you or someone in the household free
and clear (without a mortgage or loan)?

„„ Rented?
„„ Occupied without payment or rent?

What is your telephone number?
We will only contact you if needed for official Census
Bureau business.

Telephone Number

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U.S. Census Bureau

Predecisional DRAFT - Internal Use Only - 7/24/18

Complete the questions on the left side of
page 2
DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE
Please provide information for each person living
here. If there is someone living here who pays the
rent or owns this residence, start by listing him or
her as Person 1. If the owner or the person who pays
rent does not live here, start by listing any adult living
here as Person 1.
What is Person 1’s name?

Last Name(s)

Middle Initial

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First Name

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What is Person 1’s sex? Mark

„„ Male

ONE box.

„„ Female

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What is Person 1’s age and what is Person 1’s date of
birth?
For babies less than 1 year old, do not write the age
in months. Write 0 as the age.

Age, in
years, on
April 1,
2020

Month

Day

Year of
birth

Is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?
„„ No, not of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin
„„ Yes, Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano
„„ Yes, Puerto Rican
„„ Yes, Cuban
„„ Yes, another Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin—
Print, for example, Salvadoran, Dominican,
Colombian, Guatemalan, Spaniard, Ecuadorian, etc.
U.S. Census Bureau 5

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Complete the questions on the right side
of page 2
DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE
What is Person 1’s race?

Mark

one or more boxes AND print origins.

„„ White—Print, for example, German, Irish, English,
Italian, Lebanese, Egyptian, etc.
„„ Black or African American—Print, for example,
African American, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian,
Ethiopian, Somali, etc.

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„„ American Indian or Alaska Native—Print name of
enrolled or principal tribe(s), for example, Navajo
Nation, Blackfeet Tribe, Mayan, Aztec, Native
Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government,
Nome Eskimo Community, etc.

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„„ Chinese
„„ Vietnamese
„„ Filipino
„„ Korean
„„ Asian Indian „„ Japanese
„„ Other Asian—
Print, for
example,
Pakistani,
Cambodian,
Hmong, etc.

„„ Native Hawaiian
„„ Samoan
„„ Chamorro
„„ Other Pacific
Islander—Print,
for example,
Tongan, Fijian,
Marshallese, etc.

„„ Some other race—Print race or origin.

Is Person 1 a citizen of the United States?
„„ Yes, born in the United States

„„ Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin
Islands, or Northern Marianas
„„ Yes, born abroad of U.S. citizen parent or parents
„„ Yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization—
Print year of naturalization.
„„ No, not a U.S. citizen

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U.S. Census Bureau

Predecisional DRAFT - Internal Use Only - 7/24/18

Complete the questions for each additional
person
Each additional person will be asked the two questions below
DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE
Does this person usually live or stay somewhere
else?
Mark

ALL that apply.

„„ No
„„ Yes, for college

„„ Yes, at a seasonal or
second residence

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„„ Yes, for a military
assignment

„„ Yes, with a parent or
other relative

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„„ Yes, for a job or
business

„„ Yes, in a jail or prison

„„ Yes, in a nursing home „„ Yes, for another reason

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How is this person related to Person 1?
Mark

ONE box.

„„ Opposite-sex husband/wife/spouse
„„ Opposite-sex unmarried partner
„„ Same-sex husband/wife/spouse
„„ Same-sex unmarried partner
„„ Biological son or daughter
„„ Adopted son or daughter
„„ Stepson or stepdaughter
„„ Brother or sister

„„ Father or mother
„„ Grandchild
„„ Parent-in-law
„„ Son-in-law or daughter-in-law
„„ Other relative
„„ Roommate or housemate
„„ Foster child
„„ Other nonrelative
U.S. Census Bureau 7

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Complete page 8 if you counted more than
six people
DO NOT WRITE YOUR ANSWERS ON THIS GUIDE

Female

Age, in
years, on
April 1,
2020

Month

Last Name(s)

Day

Year
of
Birth

Related to Person 1?
„„ Yes

„„ No

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Male

Middle Initial

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First Name

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The 2020 Census is
easier than ever.
Did you know you can
respond online?

If you are able to complete the 2020
Census online, go to the url printed on
the questionnaire.

Video guides for completing the 2020 Census
online are available at
.
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U.S. Census Bureau