U.S. Census Bureau workers began hand-delivering census forms to Lincoln County residents last week with the goal of handing out the last batch by the end of next week, according to Western Montana’s Census Office Manager Bill Knowles.

Some Montanans will receive their census forms in the mail, though Knowles points out that forms are usually hand-delivered in rural areas like Lincoln County.

Knowles said each census worker will have an identification badge and a black bag marked with Census Bureau.

Residents are asked to answer the 10 questions on the form and then mail it back in the postage-paid envelope provided.

Those who don’t return the form may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask the questions from the form.

“We just want to raise awareness to turn the form in so we don’t have to chase you and waste tax dollars,” Knowles said.

Currently 114 Lincoln County residents are census workers, Knowles said, and more people will be hired in May. The number of new hires will depend on how many people don’t return their forms.

The national non-respondent rate is 36 percent, with Montana at 32 percent, Knowles said.

National Census Day is April 1, a date residents can use as a point of reference for sending back the completed forms.

It’s not possible to complete the census form online, but additional information about Census 2010 is available online at http://2010.census.gov .

(The Daily Inter Lake contributed to this story.)