Coachella Valley Residents Turn In Census Forms At Last Minute

Pat Floyd and Annette Davis, both from Wisconsin, can enjoy their Palm Springs vacation knowing they did the right thing before they left their home: They completed and mailed in their census forms.

“I was very surprised that it was easy and as simple as it was because I was expecting them to ask more invasive questions,” said Floyd. “There weren’t any, really”

Unfortunately, local resident Erica Clayton could not say the same thing about the census questions. She never received the form in the first place.

“I’ve been looking for it, but I haven’t seen it yet,” she said.

Households that did not receive a form — or failed to turn it in — will be getting a visit from a census worker. But, there still is time after the April 1 deadline to avoid the visit.

“As long as you get it in within the next week or so,” says Jean Miller, from the U.S. Census Bureau office in Palm Springs, “it will keep us from knocking on your door starting on May 1.”

Miller says to be aware of scam artists. If someone knocks on your door, legitimate census workers will never ask you for passwords or a PIN code for your ATM card. They will never ask you for money, and they will never ask you for your social security number, Miller says.

Eventually, the census numbers will dictate how many congressional seats each state will have and how $400 billion dollars in federal money will be distributed.

“We can use some federal money here,” said Clayton. “The roads really need to be fixed around town. Traffic lights need to be fixed.”

Nationally, over half of the forms have been returned already. Among Coachella Valley cities, Cathedral City has the highest return rate at 49%. Coachella has the lowest return rate at 37%.

The census bureau claims the 2010 form is the shortest form in history. It should take the average person about 10 minutes to complete.

Some households in rural areas, such as Desert Center and parts of Imperial County, did not get the forms on purpose. A census worker will visit those households prior to May 1.

If you did not receive a census form in the mail, call (866) 861-2010.