Kirkland households received the 2010 Census questionnaire in March. To date, 73 percent of Kirkland homes that received the form have returned it to the U.S. Census Bureau. Currently, King County’s “mail response rate” is 73 percent; the national rate 72 percent.

This week, census takers will begin going door-to-door to households that did not mail back their forms. A census taker is a person hired by the Census Bureau to make sure that neighborhoods get represented as accurately as possible. The census taker’s primary responsibility is to collect census information from residences that have not sent back their 2010 Census form. If no one answers at a particular residence, a census taker will visit that home up to three times, each time leaving a door hanger featuring a phone number; residents can call the number on the hanger to schedule the visit. They also will verify that housing units indicated as “unoccupied” to the Census Bureau by the postal service or others are indeed unoccupied and vacant. For 2010 Census information, visit www.2010Census.gov or call 1-866-872-6868.