this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2024
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Bottom one is from the US census. Which you're required by federal law fill out (specifically written in the US Constitution). I don't know if anyone would actually come after you for not filling it out, but I'm pretty sure writing crazy shit all over it and returning it would raise some red flags...
I only answer the how many people live here question and leave the rest blank. No one has bothered following up with me. Guess it doesn't happen enough to make it worth enforcement.
I've never had anything but the short version personally. I always just filled it out cause it takes all of 5 minutes. You raise sort of a curious question though and it does appear that answering all the questions is mandatory. Apparently, at least according to the source below, they use statistical methods to fill in questions left blank. Also, again according to the source below, no one has been prosecuted since 1970 for failure to fill out a census. With that in mind they're probably fine sending in scribblings, but they might send an agent to their door after 5 mailings to do the enumeration in person.
https://www.prb.org/resources/u-s-2020-census-faq/
I was referring to the short version. I only answer how many people are living here and leave the other 10 or so blank.
If the government wants to go through the effort of court battle I obviously don't welcome that but I acknowledge that they can. Zero interest in a fight about this. Doesn't really matter they can get their data other ways with or without my help.
Wasn't really looking to fight you on your personal choices. Just thought it was interesting and relevant to the post. You do you...
Sorry that is on me I came off hostile and that wasn't my intention. Cheers.
No problem. Have a good one!
I don’t know anything about the system in the US, but I know that here in Canada they won’t take you to court instantly if you don’t fill in the census (short or long, similar to the US). Instead they’ll send you a few reminder letters first, and if that doesn’t work they’ll try to send a census working to your home to ask you the questions you missed. AFAIK, this is done to try to prevent a situation where you’re taking to court someone who perhaps can’t read (due to vision or literacy or language problems), or who has other trouble filling out the forms.
So long as you cooperate with the census worker, you won’t see the inside of a courtroom. AFAIK they only take people to court who don’t cooperate with the census taker.