There's Still Time! Mail Your Census Form Today

Is that 2010 Census form still sitting in a pile of unopened mail? Help protect your voice in Congress and make sure your community gets the federal funds it deserves for important programs like public safety, school and road construction, and more.

And by filling out and mailing this easy questionnaire, you'll save taxpayer dollars, because fewer census takers will have to go door-to-door.

So far, the return rate -- 67 percent as of Wednesday -- is encouraging, Census Bureau officials said in a phone call with unions, churches, community groups and others that are helping spread the word to their members and neighbors.

But there's a big push on to get the remaining 33 percent of forms in the mail by this weekend. On May 1, census workers will start knocking at doors where residents haven't responded.

The census is taken every 10 years and determines how many members of Congress will represent each state. The census also is used to allocate federal funds to help communities pay for police and fire services, build schools, maintain roads and bridges and much more. For every 100 people who don't return their forms, a community stands to lose more than $1 million, Census officials said.

If you can't find your form, call the bureau at (866) 872-6868. An employee can take your information by phone or send you a new form. To learn more, check out the census website at www.2010census.gov.