News Flash

The Town of Winchester’s Town Clerk’s Office has been notified by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Bill Galvin’s Office, that the Federal Census Bureau will begin conducting Address Canvassing in Massachusetts this month.  The Census Bureau is currently conducting Address Canvassing, the first major field operation of the 2020 Census, and will continue to run through mid-October.

Census Bureau address canvassers ensure an accurate and complete count by verifying addresses, which involves noting where houses, apartments, shelters, and other residences are located. Prior to the 2010 Census, address canvassing was done for 100% of the addresses. For the 2020 Census, only about 30% of the addresses will be visited by address canvassers and only in areas where there has been significant changes over the past 10 years. The address canvassers will knock on the door of an address they are trying to verify to confirm the address and inquire if there are any other separate living quarters in the house. These activities will take place during daylight hours. If no one answers the door, the address canvasser will look for visual identifiers to confirm the address, such as an address on a mail box, and if nothing can be found, the address will be flagged for further follow-up.

The State has reached out to the Federal Census Bureau requesting advance notice of the locations and dates of any Census address canvassers who will be working in Massachusetts.  The Town Clerks Office will post a notice on the Town of Winchester’s website if Winchester is part of the Address Canvassing program.  You may also check out the Census website directly at the link below:

“Verify Census Workers in Your Area” https://2020census.gov/en/census-takers.html 

If you are visited by someone from the Census Bureau, and want to verify their identity and occupation, here are some tips to assure the validity of the field representative:

• Census takers must present an ID badge that includes a photograph of the field representative, a Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
• Follow this link and enter any field representative’s credentials.
• Note that census workers may be carrying a Census Bureau phone or a laptop as well as a bag with a Census Bureau logo.
• This link shows a map of locations where Census workers will be working. https://gis-portal.data.census.gov/arcgis/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=1a0004d1745547888c8fd2f4d929d42f

If you still have questions, call 1-800-991-2520 to speak with a Regional Census Bureau or call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-721-7130 (press 1).  

Thank you.