Traveler's Guide to Filling Out The Form

Those who live in their home state the majority of the year -- but occupy a winter residence in another state when Census forms are mailed in March -- should follow these guidelines to be counted as residents in their home states:

• Enter "zero" on the form received at the second residence as the number of people residing there.
• Leave the rest of the form blank, but write "usual residence elsewhere" on it so the Census Bureau will know why zero was entered.
• If no one is staying at their home state residence, snowbirds should wait until they return home to complete the form sent to that residence.
• If a form hasn't been received, a Census taker is expected to contact residents between May and June.

Article appeared in USA Today, December 17, 2009; Page 3A