Governor Bev Perdue signed Executive Order No. 33 today during a news conference at Johnson C. Smith University. The executive order will create the North Carolina Complete Count Committee to coordinate Census activities at the state level. 

Malcolm Graham, Special Assistant to the President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs, hosted the event. Johnson C. Smith University President Dr. Ronald L. Carter introduced Governor Perdue. Attendees included local Complete Count Committee members, census staff, volunteers and partners. Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx and Jennifer Roberts, Board of County Commissioners-Chair, and other elected officials also were on hand.

According to Governor Purdue, "More than $400 billion in federal funds will be distributed each year based on the census count, so a complete count is critical to North Carolina. I urge everyone to fill out and mail back their Census forms. It's easy, it's important and it's secure."

During the news conference, Dr. Nancy Potlok, U.S. Commerce Deputy Under Secretary, and Wayne Hatcher, Census Regional Director, reiterated Gov. Purdue's comments on the importance of citizens being counted in the 2010 Census. According to Potlok, "The 2010 decennial census outreach effort in North Carolina is unprecedented. The Census form will be the shortest and easiest in history - ten questions that will take only ten minutes to complete, available in 59 different languages so that no one is left out. By working with local community organizations and groups, we will empower North Carolinians to help ensure that everyone is counted."

In addition, Moses Cary, Chair of the Employment Security Commission, stressed that 24,000 Census jobs will be available throughout North Carolina beginning in January 2010.

To learn more, please visit www.2010census.gov.