Census glitch gives Somerville residents right address, wrong wards

By George P. Hassett

  Somerville residents may get a surprise in the mail this week when they find out they suddenly live in a different ward.
   A data processing error by a bulk-mail vendor has resulted in annual city census forms that list many Somerville residents at the correct street address but the wrong ward.

   ‚ÄúFortunately, this problem won‚Äôt affect our ability to process the forms,‚Äù said Nicholas Salerno, Chairman of Somerville‚Äôs Board of Election Commissioners.  ‚ÄúEven if the ward or precinct numbers are incorrect, residents should complete the forms they received and return them in the usual way.‚Äù

     The city‚Äôs Elections and Information Technology Departments provided the correct ward and precinct data to the outside vendor, but a processing error at the mail house resulted in incorrect forms going to residents across the city.

     ‚ÄúWe‚Äôve used this vendor for three consecutive census mailings, and this is the first time we‚Äôve had a problem,‚Äù said Salerno.  ‚ÄúWe‚Äôre working with them to pin down exactly what happened, and we‚Äôre confident that we can keep it from happening again.‚Äù

      The census mailing, which goes out to over 35,000 households annually, is used to verify basic demographic and voting information.  By completing, signing and returning the form, residents protect their voting rights, veterans‚Äô bonus, elderly housing and related benefits, as well as providing information for the jury selection process.  Forms may be returned in the mail or dropped off at census collection boxes available at ten locations throughout the city.