Time to Be Counted

Time to Be Counted
By Ashley Freije

It is hard to go to the bathroom on campus without seeing a flyer for the 2010 census on the inside of the front door.
After a controversial pre-census survey last fall, asking questions such as how much time a person spends driving to work or how many times they flush their toilet, the official 2010 census will arrive in mailboxes in mid-March.

The Constitution requires a count of all people in the nation every ten years, in order to get a count of how many people live in the country, and to reevaluate how many representatives every state receives in the House of Representatives. The results of the census also lead to redrawing congressional districts, and determine how money is distributed among districts.

With such high stakes on the line, districts make huge efforts to make sure every resident in their area completes the census, and Bloomington is no exception. Count Us IN is a campus effort to get out the word about the 2010 census, and what students need to do. According to the group’s video, students living on campus or in Bloomington should fill out their census in Bloomington, as it is their “usual residence.” Even international students, according to the video, should fill out a census in Bloomington.

Some, however, do not think this is correct. According to IU senior Courtney Flannery, “I think that counting students with college as their main residence is a disservice to the students home communities.”

Flannery says that she does not want tax dollars going to Bloomington due to her being counted on the census, as she will only be living in the city for a few more months. She says other students she knows feel the same. She also disagrees with Count Us IN’s claim that international students should fill out a census, saying she does not feel non-citizens should be counted on the census.

She also says she does not want to be counted twice by filling out the census in Bloomington. Question 10 on the census form asks if any member of the house sometimes lives elsewhere, including the option of “college housing.” If a student’s parent fills them out on their census, and they fill out their own, Flannery worries she and others will be counted twice on the census, giving inaccurate population figures.

The government is not taking the census lightly. It bought a $3.5 million ad during the Super Bowl to advertize the census with several Hollywood actors, and nationwide campaigns to raise awareness for the census before questionnaires arrive in mailboxes in mid-March.

The census will become even more important next year when redistricting occurs, and candidates prepare for reelection. Districts may have completely different make-ups, or may be lost and given to more populous states.

Those who chose not to fill out their forms and turn them in face the possibility of a census worker coming to their door, and a $5000 fine. While there are other questions on the survey, all have been deemed “necessary and proper” to governance. The official census day is April 1. For more information visit census.gov or 2010census.gov