1. Census in the Constitution Article I, Section 2
… Representatives ... shall be apportioned
among the several states ... according to their
respective numbers. … The actual enumeration
shall be made within three
years after the first meeting of the Congress of
the United States, and within every subsequent
term of ten years ...

2. What is a Census? A census counts everyone or thing.
The US Census counts everyone
residing in the US.

3. Is it hard to count?

4. This Classroom Have someone stand up front and count.
Look at the teacher's roster.
Is anyone absent?
Has anyone moved?
For what day do we want the count?

5. Stratford Going door to door Is there a list of residences?
Does everyone have a residence?
Will someone be home at every residence to answer our questions?
Can we do the counting in one day?

6. United States of America
For people who have an address, the
Census Bureau will send out a form in March.
Census Day is April 1st. Residents fill in who was
residing at their address on April 1st and send the
form back to the government.

7. United States of America
For people who do not send in the form or who
have no address, the Census Bureau will send
someone out to count them. Sending someone
out is much more expensive and costs all of us,
since the Census is paid for with our taxes.

8. Conclusion The Census is important. The Census
determines how much representation we get in
Congress and was mandated, when this country
was formed, by our founding fathers and
mothers. Counting everyone is hard and the
Census is expensive. Anything we can do to
keep costs down helps us all.