Comment by projektfu
20 hours ago
That would probably not be constitutional. I don't think the states are unable to run their own census, but the Constitution requires a federal one.
20 hours ago
That would probably not be constitutional. I don't think the states are unable to run their own census, but the Constitution requires a federal one.
How much data is needed to fulfill the constitutional requirement?
That's a different question. Others have addressed why the census enumerates various things. The first census in 1790 enumerated the name of every head of household and the number of free white men age 16 and over, free white males under 16, free white women, other free persons and slaves in each household. An assistant was designated for each state.
https://www.archives.gov/files/research/census/1790/1790cens...