Census takers are descending upon Tompkins County this week to ensure that everyone is accurately counted, according to the county's 2010 Complete Census Count Committee. As the US Constitution does require that each individual is counted, census takers are going door-to-door throughout the United States to count the residents at the households that have not sent back their census form. It is important that everyone be counted because the numbers are used to proportionally distribute state and federal funds as well as determine the number of representatives each state sends to Congress. Census takers started their work in the county early this week, visiting addresses in Collegetown. The in-person visits are taking place in Collegetown first in order to beat the end of the academic year, after which many of the Collegetown residents graduate and leave Ithaca or return home for the summer. Starting this Saturday, census takers will begin going door-to-door throughout the rest of Tompkins County. Census takers will visit uncounted homes up to six times and will leave a door hanger each time with a phone number that can be called to schedule a visit and be counted. Census takers wear badges and carry identification, and they will have census materials with them. They will never ask for bank or credit card accounts or Social Security numbers. Residents may call the local Census office at (607) 735-5440 to provide feedback regarding their interaction with local census takers or with any questions about the process.