2009 Hampton Roads

Civic Engagement Summit

“Our Region, Our Future”

Reconvene and Vote -Technology-Aided Consideration of Recommendations from Small Groups

David Campt

Which of these is your gender?

Fem

ale

Male

58%

42%

1. Female

2. Male

51.1 %

48.9 %

Which of these comes closest to describing your race/ethnicity?

White

/Cau

casia

n

Blac

k/Afri

can-A

meric

an

Hisp

anic/

Latin

o

Asia

n/Pacif

ic Isl

ander

India

n/Nativ

e Am

erican

Mixe

d race

Oth

er

81%

15%

0% 1%1%1%2%

1. White/Caucasian

2. Black/African-American

3. Hispanic/Latino

4. Asian/Pacific Islander

5. Indian/Native American

6. Mixed race

7. Other

61.7 %

32.5 %

4 %

0.1 %

0.4 %

2.1 %

What is your household income?

Under

$25,000

$25,001 -

50,0...

$50,001 -

75,0...

$75,001 -

$100...

Over

$100,000

3%

9%

54%

24%

11%

1. Under $25,000

2. $25,001 - 50,000

3. $50,001 - 75,000

4. $75,001 - $100,000

5. Over $100,000

18%

26%

22%

14%

20%

How long have you lived in the region?

Less

than 2

ye...

2- 5

years

5-1

0 years

10 –

15 year

s

More

than 1

5 y...

8% 7%

64%

11%10%

1. Less than 2 years

2. 2- 5 years

3. 5-10 years

4. 10 – 15 years

5. More than 15 years

Who will win the NCAA Basketball Tournament?

North

Caro

lina...

Vill

anova Wild

...

Mich

igan St.

S...

Connect

icut H

u...

What d

oes this.

..

41%

8%

36%

10%

5%

1. North Carolina Tarheels

2. Villanova Wildcats

3. Michigan St. Spartans

4. Connecticut Huskies

5. What does this have to do with civic engagement?

38% 35%

14% 8%

3% 5%

10% 7%

34% 45%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

What does this hav...

Connecticut Huskies

Michigan St. Spart...

Villanova Wildcats

North Carolina Tar...

Who will win the NCAA Basketball Tournament?

Female Male

Actions to Improve Communication

• Centralized source/organization for regional information• Enhance traditional media for regional

news/announcements – WHRO, TV news• Smart use of new media: on-line forums, cell phone alerts• More & better meetings• Make meetings more accessible – take them into

neighborhoods, televise• Make data more accessible• Better civic education• Surveys for citizen input

Other Suggested Improvements for Communication

• Improve values

• Adoption of a formalized decision-making process

• Change in regional structure

Choose the 3 most important improvements to information and communication that will make the

public process better.

Cen

trali

zed so

...

Enhance

trad

it...

Smar

t use

of n

...

More

& b

ette

r ...

Make

meet

ings

...

Make

dat

a more

...

Bette

r civ

ic e...

Surv

eys f

or ci..

.

47%

21%

45%

22%

58%

29%

44%

6%

1. Centralized source for regional information

2. Enhance traditional media

3. Smart use of new media

4. More & better meetings

5. Make meetings more accessible

6. Make data more accessible

7. Better civic education

8. Surveys for citizen input

Question # 2

What is the most important thing we need to work on to improve our system of public decision making

Invest regionally – new regional funding mechanisms, new structures.(Note: The group questioned the meaning of this item. Does it mean

new taxes, consolidation of services, leadership hierarchy, etc.)

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

28%

15%

49%

8%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Emphasize values when creating the vision. Spend more time reflecting on

values.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

35%

10%

15%

40%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Emphasize more and better civic education.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

74%

2%4%

20%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Proactive outreach by elected officials.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

50%

5%8%

38%1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Better recognition of pros and cons. Make sure information is fair and

balanced.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

64%

4%6%

27%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Create a new separate entity (non-govt.) for civic discourse.

(Note: The group had discussion on this issue. Would a library be considered a govt. agency? )

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

28%

18%

36%

18%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Have a better informed and educated population.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

76%

2%5%

17%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Need fact based decisions instead of emotional ones.

Strongly Endor..

.

Agree

Needs F

urther ..

.

Disa

gree

53%

12%19%

16%

1. Strongly Endorse

2. Agree

3. Needs Further Discussion

4. Disagree

Choose the 3 most important improvements that will make the public process better.

Invest

Regiona...

Emphasiz

e valu...

More

/bette

r ci...

Proacti

ve outr...

Fair & balance...

Create

a new e...

Better i

nform

e...

Fact base

d dec...

10% 10%

23%

7%

17%

7%

16%

10%

1. Invest Regionally

2. Emphasize values

3. More/better civic education

4. Proactive outreach be elected officials

5. Fair & balanced information

6. Create a new entity for civic discourse

7. Better informed population

8. Fact based decisions

Pick the improvement that will be the easiest to accomplish.

Inves

t Regio

na...

Emphas

ize va

lu...

More

/bette

r c...

Pro

activ

e outr.

..

Fair

& balan

ce...

Cre

ate a n

ew e

...

Bette

r info

rme...

Fact

base

d dec..

.

5%6%

17%

5%5%

13%

26%

24%

1. Invest Regionally

2. Emphasize values

3. More /better civic education

4. Proactive outreach by elected officials

5. Fair & balanced information

6. Create a new entity for civic discourse

7. Better informed population

8. Fact based decisions

Pick the improvement that you would be willing to spend time on to help accomplish.

Inves

t Regio

na...

Emphas

ize va

lu...

More

/ bette

r ...

Pro

activ

e outr.

..

Fair

& balan

ce...

Cre

ate a n

ew e

...

Bette

r info

rme...

Fact

base

d dec..

.

8%

5%

26%

6%

15%16%

19%

5%

1. Invest Regionally

2. Emphasize values

3. More / better civic education

4. Proactive outreach by elected officials

5. Fair & balanced information

6. Create a new entity for civic discourse

7. Better informed population

8. Fact based decisions

EVALUATION

How much did you learn today?

Noth

ing/v

ery lit

tle

A li

ttle

Som

e

A fa

ir am

ount A

lot

4%

9%

22%

39%

26%

1. Nothing/very little

2. A little

3. Some

4. A fair amount

5. A lot

How much did you express your thoughts & opinions today?

I with

held a l.

..

I with

held so

m...

I m

ostly

share

...

I sp

oke my p

ie...

10%

20%

49%

20%

1. I withheld a lot of my thoughts

2. I withheld some of my thoughts

3. I mostly shared my thoughts

4. I spoke my piece!

To what extent did the keypads/technology add to this

meeting?

Noth

ing/v

ery l.

..

A li

ttle

Som

e

A fa

ir am

ount

They w

ere a

cr...

1%3%

45%

35%

17%

1. Nothing/very little

2. A little

3. Some

4. A fair amount

5. They were a critical element