By Ashley Moss
Staff Writer
Local residents who have not yet taken the 2020 Census can expect a visit from a Census taker soon. The door knockers are being deployed to help follow up with households that still need to respond.
Census takers are identified by a valid government ID complete with a photograph and a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark with expiration date. Residents who want to confirm a census taker’s identity can contact the Denver/Dallas Regional Census Center at 972-510-1800 to speak with a Census Bureau representative.
Census takers are hired from local communities. All census takers speak English, and many are bilingual. Census takers will have materials on hand to help identify the household’s language, and if a census taker does not speak the householder’s language, households can request a return visit from a census taker who does.
Household members who encounter a visit by census staff are encouraged to maintain social distances during interviews and practice the CDC’s recommendations for safe social distancing as much as possible, including wearing a mask and maintaining a six foot distance from others.
Those that complete their Census will not get a visit from a Census taker. Households that still need to complete the Census can complete the Census online or mail back the paper questionnaire they received. The Census can also be completed electronically by going to 2020census.gov or by phone via 844-330-2020. Assistance is available in more than 13 languages.