Archive for the 'Census' Category

It’s In Our Hands!

Published on March 23, 2010 in Census and Secretary Brown. 0 Comments Tags: .

Don’t forget, your 2010 United States Census forms must be turned in by April first to avoid a house visit from census takers. A countdown can be found above.

If you have any questions on filling out the form, check on the Census’ instructions here.

If by some chance, you haven’t received a form yet, please call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at 1-866-872-6868. (If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, then dial 1-866-928-2010.) The lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week from February 25, 2010 through July 30, 2010. For the hearing-impaired, TDD 1-866-783-2010 (during the times noted above).

For some up to the minute information, please also follow the US Census on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/uscensusbureau.

Every person counted in the State of Oregon will help in securing millions of dollars in federal funding over the next 10 years! Securing this vital funding is in our hands, so please send in your forms as soon as possible!

Secretary of State Kate Brown Joins Census Team in Salem

Published on February 22, 2010 in Census and Secretary Brown. 0 Comments Tags: .

Courtesy of Statesman Journal

The Statesman Journal has done a write up on Secretary of State Kate Brown’s participation in a recent Census event on the steps of the Capitol. The Secretary spoke about the importance of a complete count for the State of Oregon, both in terms of federal dollars and the possibility of adding an all-important sixth congressional district.

From the article:

Secretary of State Kate Brown urged residents to participate at Wednesday’s event on the steps of the state Capitol.

“It means money for Oregon,” Brown said. “We want to make sure we get our fair share. … Our state government and our local governments need every dollar.”

Brown spoke with a group of Canby High School students who visited the Capitol and sat in on the Legislative session as part of their Future Business Leaders of America group.

So why exactly is a complete and accurate Census count so important to the state of Oregon?

To put the count’s impact in real terms, there will be close to $400 billion dollars in federal funding to be distributed over the next few years. The results of the 2010 Census count will be major factor in helping decision makers in Washington, D.C. decide where those funds will go. In these tough economic times for the state, this is a big deal. As Michael Burns, the deputy regional director of the U.S. Census Bureau mentions in the article, each person counted means roughly $1,400 for state and local governments.

To give you an idea of where this money can be used, here are just a few examples of where federal money was allocated in 2007:

  • Food stamps – $30.4 billion
  • Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers – $16.1 billion
  • National School Lunch Program – $8.6 billion
  • Head Start – $6.2 billion
  • State Children’s Insurance Program – $5.5 billion
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program – $5.3 billion
  • Foster care (Title IVE) – $4.5 billion
  • Child Care Mandatory & Matching Funds – $2.9 billion
  • School Breakfast Program – $2.1 billion

These are programs that have a massive impact on people’s lives.

The Census count will also determine whether or not Oregon’s population has grown so much since the last count that we require a sixth congressional district. This would mean that Oregon would have another Representative to join our already stellar representation in the US Congress. Greater representation in Washington means a louder voice for Oregonians; and this is a good thing.

Census forms will arrive by mid-March of this year. We are hoping to make 2010 the most complete count in Oregon’s history. It’s in our hands!

The Early Oregonians Project

Published on December 15, 2009 in Archives and Census. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Do you recognize either of these seals?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t! They both predate the State of Oregon but at one time or another they were the official seals of the territory, which now constitutes our great state! The Oregon Territory and The Provisional Government of Oregon are part of our State’s great history and  our Archives Division is working on a project that will help us all get more familiar with some of the people who lived here during that time.

The Early Oregonians Project combines census, death, probate and other records into a searchable database to help researchers find relevant information about the people who lived in Oregon from 1800 to 1860.

To begin, Archives staff outlined an ‘Early Oregonian Criteria’, to establish just who could be counted as an Oregonian. This task was made difficult by the fact that parts of the territories that made up the Oregon of the time are now prominent sections of Washington, Idaho and Montana. For example, the 1850 census for Oregon Territory included what became Washington Territory as soon as 1853. However, in creating the Early Oregonian Criteria it was decided that individuals living in or born in that part of the Oregon Territory prior to 1853 were to be  included in this database as Early Oregonians.

With a criteria in place, staff began extracting vital data and other relevant information on these early Oregonians.

The initial information for this project was taken from the 1850 and 1860 federal censuses conducted in Oregon. A team of volunteers and student interns reviewed the extracted information and combined entries that appeared on both censuses.

In addition to primary sources, various records from the Oregon State Archives such as probate records, death certificates and marriage records were also searched to identify individuals who appeared to meet the criteria. Currently there are over 105,500 entries representing these early Oregonians.

The database is up now, but what you see today is not what the finished project will look like. As additional features of the database are made available, researchers will be able to view a list of associated records for individuals and request copies from the Archives.

Archives is also looking to YOU for help making this project a success! If you have documentation you would like to contribute to the Early Oregonians Database or a website you think might be helpful in our staff locating more information, send an email to Early.Oregonians@state.or.us and let us know!

Census Office Opening in Eugene

Published on September 16, 2009 in Census. 0 Comments Tags: .

Kate-Eugene-CensusOn August 20th Secretary Brown and a few staff were in Eugene for the grand opening of the Eugene office of the Census Bureau for the 2010 decennial census. It was a well-attended event that had everything: a rousing rendition of ‘My Oregon’ from the Gleemen, a color guard composed of veterans who are also tribal members, and speeches by Mayor Leiken of Springfield, Congressman DeFazio, and of course Secretary of State Brown.

Each speaker talked about the importance of the 2010 count. There is a consensus at every level of government that there has never been a more important Census in the history of our country. And the Secretary of State’s office will be an integral part of the State’s efforts to ensure the best count possible.

In June, the Governor appointed Secretary of State Brown to head the State’s Complete Count Committee, which will coordinate State Agencies in efforts to raise awareness about the 2010 Census count. It’s an incredibly exciting effort that serves a critical purpose.

So why is a complete and accurate Census count so important to the state of Oregon?

To put the count’s impact in real terms, there will be close to $400 billion dollars in federal funding to be distributed over the next few years. The results of the 2010 Census count will be major factor in helping decision makers in Washington, D.C. decide where those funds will go. In these tough economic times for the state, this is a big deal.

To give you an idea of where this money can be used, here are just a few examples of where federal money was allocated in 2007:

  • Food stamps – $30.4 billion
  • Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers – $16.1 billion
  • National School Lunch Program – $8.6 billion
  • Head Start – $6.2 billion
  • State Children’s Insurance Program – $5.5 billion
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program – $5.3 billion
  • Foster care (Title IVE) – $4.5 billion
  • Child Care Mandatory & Matching Funds – $2.9 billion
  • School Breakfast Program – $2.1 billion

These are programs that have a massive impact on people’s lives.

The Census count will also determine whether or not Oregon’s population has grown so much since the last count that we require a sixth congressional district. This would mean that Oregon would have another Representative to join our already stellar representation in the US Congress. Greater representation in Washington means a louder voice for Oregonians; and this is a good thing.

Everyone here in the Secretary of State’s office is excited about ramping up our efforts to assist the Census Bureau in making 2010 the most successful count in our country’s history.