If you have already completed the census only to realize you left off your baby, young child, or someone else, you can correct your census submission. The Census Bureau offers the following guidance to make corrections on forms that have already been submitted:
If you submitted an online form:
If you feel you have made a mistake, you can return to the online questionnaire and resubmit your information. The Census Bureau has procedures in place to resolve duplicate submissions. If you’ve already responded using your Census ID, select the link that reads “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” to submit a corrected response for your address. Be sure to respond for everyone who was living at your address on April 1.
If you submitted a paper form:
If you need to make a correction to a response on your paper questionnaire, carefully draw a line through the incorrect entry. Then, write the correct information as close as possible to what you crossed out. If you checked the wrong box, just draw a line through it and mark the correct box for the question.
You cannot make changes to your questionnaire once you have mailed it back. If you have serious concerns about your response, you can complete the questionnaire again online.
If you responded by phone, you can correct your form online using the same guidance for online responses: select the “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” link and submit a corrected response. You can also call the Census Questionnaire Assistance phone line and request to complete the form by phone again.
The Census Questionnaire Assistance line is also an excellent resource for anyone who needs help completing the census or has questions about who should get counted. Their English language phone number is 844-330-2020, and phone numbers and materials in other languages can be found here.
Please make sure you include everyone in the household. Provide as much information as possible, even if you only have part of the information (such as only first names or ages) so that the Census Bureau can best resolve your response. As indicated above, the Census Bureau has its own procedures to manage duplicate responses. If you believe your original response was incorrect, resubmitting the questionnaire is the best way to ensure that you are providing the most accurate information.
