MELROSE — The city of Melrose has mailed the local census and residents can expect it to land in their mailboxes within the following days. The city urges residents – homeowners and renters alike – to return their census in person or by mail to the City Clerk’s Office, located on the first floor of City Hall at 562 Main Street.

The importance of completing your local census cannot be stressed enough as it has more of an impact on personal and local matters than is often realized.

COMPLETING YOUR CENSUS AFFECTS:

  • Your voter registration status
  • Federal funding allocated to the city
  • Local business decisions
  • Accurate demographic information

VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS

To have a say in any local elections you want to be sure your voter registration is active. Keeping yourself accounted for and accurately filling out the census allows your local government to keep your voter registration active.

Completing and returning your census is also required under Massachusetts’ law (M.G.L. Ch. 51, Section 4c). Failure to respond to the annual town census mailing will change your voting status to “inactive,” causing a delay on Election Day when you show up to vote, and may even result in removal of the voter from the voter rolls per state law.

FEDERAL FUNDING ALLOCATION

The size of grants and amount of funding that Melrose receives from the federal government is determined by the census count they acquire from municipalities. These funds are determined by population size and the demographic breakdowns of the City. Inaccurate population counts could result in inadequate funding which in turn impacts things like your local schools, roads, and other public work projects.

LOCAL BUSINESS DECISIONS

Melrose’s local businesses benefit from accurate census data, as it provides a look at the population trends and growth projections of the community they are serving. It informs business owners on how to make their decisions regarding expanding operations, recruiting employees, and which products and services they should offer.

ACCURATE DEMOGRAPHICS

Acquiring an accurate breakdown of the demographics of an area allows your local government to understand the makeup of the community better. This can impact the way the community of Melrose is served and help provide information on how your government and other agencies can adjust their policies, practices, and procedures to better suit the needs of the people in their community.

RENTERS: COMPLETING YOUR CENSUS

Even as a renter, your presence in Melrose matters, and completing the census has as much of an impact as those who are homeowners, and M.G.L. Ch. 51, Section 4c applies to you as well. Your presence in Melrose counts and it is important to have accurate demographic data so that your local government can assist in making your time living here better suited to the needs of you and your family. You will either receive the census personally or your landlord will distribute it to tenants. You can do your part by checking in with your landlord regarding receiving the census and making sure the data provided by your household is complete and accurate. Make your voice in the community have an impact.