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Census Bureau launches 'Update/Leave' enumeration for rural areasThe U.S. Census Bureau has launched "Update/Leave," a field enumeration that is an important part of the 2010 Census mainly in rural communities in the six-state region of the Kansas City Regional Census Center. The Kansas City Regional Census Center covers the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Oklahoma. Between March 1 and April 2, U.S. Census Bureau workers will update its master address list of housing units and leave a 2010 Census questionnaire at homes in predominately rural areas. Households are asked to complete their 2010 Census questionnaire and return it by mail. The Update/Leave Operation is done where most of the housing units do not have a city-style address such as "4505 Main Street." An example would be a community with many rural route-type addresses. "The Update/Leave Operation is a critically important step to ensure that every person, particularly those living in rural communities, receives a census questionnaire in March 2010. With this operation, the 2010 Census begins in many communities in the U.S." said Dennis R. Johnson, regional director of the U.S. Census Bureau. Census workers do not wear uniforms, but they will carry an official government badge marked with their name, fliers in English and Spanish stating that census answers are confidential, and a 2010 Census bag. However, you may also ask them for a photo ID from another source, such as a driver's license, to confirm their identity. Census workers can also provide a phone number so that you may call their supervisor to confirm that they are an official U.S. Census worker. All information collected including addresses is kept confidential and protected by federal law. U.S. Census Bureau employees must pass a background check and take an oath for life that they will not divulge anyone's personal information. The penalty for any unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information is five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The 2010 Census is a count of everyone living in the United States and is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. Census data are used to allocate congressional seats to states, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to tribal, state and local governments each year and to make decisions about what community services to provide. Starting on March 22, 2010 there will be daily updates on Census participation rates available on the 2010 Census website at www.2010census.gov.
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