CENSUS 2010

You've more than likely seen the commercials on TV in the past month, flanked by the faces of popular comedians such as Rachael Harris and other figures.

They appear to try and make it hip and accessible to younger generations, who may not be familiar with it or how it has shaped the nation over time.

The 2010 U.S. Census has probably already arrived in your mailbox, ready for you to fill out by now. It is due back by April 1 (National Census Day). And if you don't return it by mail, you can expect a taker knocking at your door some time between then and July.

As the Web site states, the goal is to have the data collected by the various Census bureaus by December 2010, so it can then be presented to the president.

The U.S. Census visited Erie on March 10 (during Edinboro University's spring break).

"Many census staff were on hand to engage the public and recruit future staff, in both English and Spanish," read a blog entry on their Web site from the day. They stopped at the Blasco Library as well as the Community Health Net facilities.

From then, in March 2011, the next phase of action is to have "redistricting of data to states."

In the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2, states that the Census should take place every 10 years. Residents of the United States and Puerto Rico are expected to comply with it. You may have some memories of the last one, in 2000.

That last census, according to records, showed that Erie County has 350.2 people per square mile, whereas the whole state of Pennsylvania showed about 274 people per square mile. It also showed that 91 percent of Erie County is of Caucasian ethnicity and only 20.9 percent of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

The data collected then goes onto help with the advancement of things like hospitals, schools and bridges. It also determines the number of seats Pennsylvania will have in the House of Representatives (it currently has 19, including Kathy Dahlkemper).

It also shows trends in population. For example, all those questions you have to answer? The ones about your marital status, gender, age or income level? They can go along way to showing the economic downturns and rises during the past decade, as well as significant sociological factors.

In late 2009 and early 2010, the Census was undergoing an intense search for employees for the coming year. A lot of these employees ended up being recent graduates of college. The search is still going in Erie County, too. You can call 1-866-861-2010 . A test is involved, which can be previewed at the census Web site.

For more on the U.S. 2010 Census, please visit their Web site at 2010.census.gov and fill out your form in the mail today. You can also visit Erie County's branch on State Street.

And remember: they can't move forward until you mail it back.

MARCH 17, 2010