By Kelli Baxter
Minnesota is in danger of losing a congressional seat after the 2010 U.S. Census is completed, and snowbirds might be responsible for helping the state hang on to it.

Amy Mell, city administrator for Rush City, said that according to information she received from the League of Minnesota Cities a Minnesota resident who flies south for the winter could be counted as a resident of another state.

That means the eight U.S. House seats Minnesota has had since 1960 could be reduced to seven. House seats are apportioned based on population and, according to recent population trends, southern states such as Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina could gain a seat, while Upper Midwest states lose, if residents aren’t counted properly.

Census forms will be sent out beginning in March, and Mell said that the packets are bar coded depending on what addresses they are sent to. If a Minnesota resident fills out and mails in the form from a winter home in Arizona, he or she would be counted as an Arizona resident.

“We want to make sure all Minnesota residents are counted,” Mell said. “And it doesn’t sound like census stuff can be forwarded.”

But there are ways people can ensure their census forms counts here.

The Minnesota Census 2010 Web site says that snowbirds will receive census forms at both of their addresses, but they should not answer the questionnaire at their temporary residence. 

The questionnaire takes about 10 minutes to fill out and should be mailed back to the U.S. Census Bureau by April 1, or as soon as possible.

“They (the state Census Bureau) couldn’t guarantee when the cut off date was,” Mell said.

But census employees will be visiting residents from April to July at addresses that did not respond to the questionnaire, the Minnesota census Web site says.

North Branch City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad said there are “quite a few people here who do go south for the winter.” And to help them out, there are handouts from the state demographers office at North Branch City Hall, as well as information on the  local cable channel.

Residents in Rush City can find more information at their city hall.

Below are some basics of the 2010 Census form:
• The questionnaire consists of 10 questions and it will take the average family 10 minutes to complete.

• Residents will be asked their name, phone number, race, ethnicity, home ownership, number of occupants, and other administrative questions. Filling out this form is required by law and the answers are protected.

• The information provided will determine how billions of dollars in federal money is distributed to the states each year, paying for everything from education to transportation. It also will help ensure that Minnesota gets fair representation in the U.S. House.

• For more information on the 2010 Census, go to www.mn2010census.org, or call (651) 201-2473 or (651) 201-2479.

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