The dicentennial census isn’t slated to begin its information gathering operations until 2010, but you may see census agents working in your area over the next few months.  The Vermont census bureau began its address canvassing operations on April 20th and plans to continue this vital part of the national head count until early July.

Address canvassing is the bureau's way to verify location of those who they will eventually survey.  Both the paper address one would use to send a letter and physical GPS location are being charted.  In this modern age, the agents who are gathering this information are using new technologies to aid the census.  Census workers participating in address canvassing are using hand held computers with GPS technology to update the national database.

This summer after the preliminary canvassing, agents will begin to determine the location of those who many not have a formal address, those who may live in alternative or group residents.  Eventually leading up to the massive paper survey.
The constitution of the United States requires the government to count the people of America to determine the seating of congress and the distribution of the Electoral College.  The information gathered in the census also helps determine how federal funding is spread out.  The census bureau is required by law to gather this information, and stresses the importance of filling out the questionnaires you will receive.  Agents in the bureau will be conducting non-response follow-ups to gather information from sources who do not return the survey.

The survey will begin in February of 2010 and is scheduled to have the final draft on the desk of the president by December.   Anyone with questions should fell free to contact the VT census board at the Vermont Census Bureau or for more information including how to avoid census fraud and the giving out of information to people not working with the census should visit census.gov