The Census Bureau has launched a massive operation to verify and update more than 145 million addresses as it prepares to conduct the 2010 Census.

That means Census workers will soon be knocking on doors of Polk County residences.

Nationwide, more than 140,000 census workers will participate in the address canvassing operation, a critically important first step in assuring that every housing unit receives a census questionnaire in March 2010.

In Georgia, approximately 3,200 people will carry out the operation. The countdown to the 2010 Census was officially one year out on April 1.

“A complete and accurate address list is the cornerstone of a successful census,” said George Grandy, Jr. Atlanta regional director at the U.S. Census Bureau.

“Building on the achievements of 2000 Census, we have been testing and preparing for the 2010 count all decade and we’re ready to fulfill our Constitutional mandate to count everyone living in the United States.”

The first publicly visible activity of the 2010 Census is ahead of schedule. Address canvassing should conclude by mid-July. The operation will use new hand held computers equipped with GPS to increase geographic accuracy.

The ability to capture GPS coordinates for most of the nation’s housing units will greatly reduce the number of geographic coding errors caused by using paper maps in previous counts.

"The primary goal of the census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place," Grandy said. "Because the Census is used for reapportioning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the distribution of more than $300 billion in federal dollars every year to state and local governments, it's essential to get this first step right."

The address cavassing operation will be conducted out of 151 local census offices across the U.S. Most offices began operations earlier this month.

In most cases, Census workers will knock on residents' doors to verify addresses and inquire about additional living quarters on the premises.