Michigan Census Participation Rate Among Top in the Nation

April 8, 2010

Michigan's rate leads Ohio by 2 percent

Lansing - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that the participation rate of Michigan citizens in the census is among the top in the nation.  Last week, Governor Granholm placed a friendly wager with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland in an effort to encourage 100 percent participation from Michigan citizens in the 2010 U.S. Census.

Michigan is currently one of the top five states in the nation with a high mail-in participation rate, trailing only Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Michigan is holding a slim lead over Ohio in the percentage of state residents who have returned their census forms.  As of April 8, census forms have been returned by 69 percent of the Michigan households that received them, compared to 67 percent for Ohio.

According to the Census Bureau, the city of Livonia currently has the highest census participation rate in the nation (of locations with 50,000 people or more).  Of the top 10 locations in this category, four are in Michigan - Livonia, Macomb Township, St. Clair Shores and Rochester Hills.

Continuing updates on state and local census participation rates are available online at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/

Other key points about the census:

• The Census Bureau made a very extensive effort to get census forms to every household.  However, mistakes can happen.  Even if 99 percent of the population receives a census form, that would leave 100,000 people without a form in a state the size of Michigan.
• Michigan households should have received census questionnaires by now.  Anyone without a census form should submit their responses through the "Be Counted" program. Be Counted questionnaires are available at any of over 1,700 sites in Michigan. These locations are listed online at www.michigan.gov/census2010.
• Beginning on April 12, people can call 1-866-872-6868 (toll free) to have a form mailed to them.
• Beginning April 23, people can call 1-866-872-6868 (toll free) to provide their information to a census-taker over the phone.
• The census helps determine how more than $400 billion in federal funds are allocated each year to states and local communities for health care, schools, roads, job-training centers, water and sewer systems, and much more.  For every person in Michigan who isn't counted in the census, our state loses $10,000 in federal funds over the next 10 years.

Granholm and Strickland have agreed that the governor whose state has the higher percentage of census forms returned by mail by Earth Day, April 22, will donate a specimen of its state tree to the state with the lower rate of return.  The tree exchange will take place on Arbor Day, April 30, and the governor receiving the tree will have it planted in a spot of his or her choosing.  A photo of the governor and the tree will be publicly released.

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