Why is New Mexico Slacking on the Census?

The New Mexico spokeswoman for the U.S. Census Bureau today attributed the state’s relatively low rate of census returns – 63 percent – at least in part to difficulties distributing census forms in rural areas and on tribal lands.

Census media specialist Veronica Reyes said it’s possible some people in those regions of New Mexico received their census forms late and didn’t send them in before mail-in participation rates were announced Wednesday.

However, at least some New Mexicans in urban areas, including Albuquerque, have reported they never received census forms.

In the next phase of the 2010 census, which starts Saturday, census workers will fan out across the state to knock on doors of households that didn’t return forms by mail.

Each of the state’s three census offices – in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces – will have about 1,400 workers to help complete that task, Reyes said.

Reyes cited two other challenges facing census gatherers in New Mexico: A general leeriness of one’s confidentiality being violated and a feeling that the once-a-decade population counts aren’t important.

More information on New Mexico’s sagging census participation rate, check out today’s Journal story.