The census is a count of every person living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution to be taken every 10 years. The next census will be conducted in April, 2010.

The census is very important to the City of Fresno, which is why Mayor Swearengin and the City Council are committed to ensuring a “complete count” of our community in 2010.

Census data are used in a variety of ways. In addition to determining the number of Congressional seats allocated to each state, the census affects how more than $400 billion in federal funds is distributed to local, state and tribal governments each year. The census also impacts decisions about vital community services and other resources that are provided in our community.

The 2010 Census questionnaire is one of the shortest in history and consists of just 10 questions. The questionnaire will take only about 10 minutes to complete. Strict confidentiality laws ensure that information provided by individual respondents is kept secure and private. Throughout the history of the census, its confidentiality has been consistently upheld at every level, up to and including the U.S. Supreme Court.

On April 23, 2009, the City of Fresno proclaimed its commitment to partner with the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure a full and accurate census count. Since then, the City Council’s Census Subcommittee (composed of Council President Cynthia Sterling, Councilmember Blong Xiong and Councilmember Larry Westerlund, City staff and the U.S. Census Bureau have been working together to lay the groundwork for a successful 2010 Census.

On August 26, 2009, Mayor Swearengin hosted a Complete Count Meeting with U.S. Census Regional Director James Christy, along with numerous community leaders and partnering organizations to begin the important collaborative work that is necessary to succeed in this effort. A key component will be the establishment of a Complete Count Committee for the City of Fresno.

The Complete Count Committee will be tasked with reaching out across the community to encourage participation in the census, especially among “hard to count” populations. The Complete Count Committee will develop strategies to overcome barriers to participation including economic conditions, language issues, and cultural distrust. Leaders from government, education, business, faith-based organizations, non-profits, the media and other key stakeholders will be asked to help encourage participation and address concerns among the people and communities they serve.

To learn how you or your organization can assist with this important effort, please contact:

Elizabeth Jonasson, Community Outreach Coordinator
City of Fresno
559-621-7787
Elizabeth.jonasson@fresno.gov

Frequently Asked Questions about the 2010 Census

Apply for a Job with the Census

Become a Census Partner

Census Partner Support Program Overview

Census 2010 Coloring Book

Sample Census Questionnaire

Sample Census Questionnaire (Bilingual)