Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement's "Batten Surveys": A Regional Civic Capital Assessment 2008 - 2009 "Civic engagement is more than just attending a meeting or a public hearing. It's not a passive concept; it's an active concept. It's when people actively engage in their neighborhood or community either by doing something or really engaging in the thinking around doing something that allows them to create some positive change." -Chris Gates, Executive Director, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement

1. 2009 Hampton Roads
Civic Engagement Summit
“Our Region, Our Future”
Reconvene and Vote -Technology-Aided Consideration of
Recommendations from Small Groups
David Campt

2. Which of these is your gender?
1. Female
51.1 %
58%
48.9 %
2. Male
42%
e
ale
al
M
m
Fe

3. Which of these comes closest to describing
your race/ethnicity?
1. White/Caucasian
61.7 %
2. Black/African-
32.5 % 81%
American
3. Hispanic/Latino
4%
4. Asian/Pacific
0.1 %
Islander
5. Indian/Native 15%
0.4 %
American 2% 1% 1% 1%
0%
6. Mixed race
2.1 %
r
ce
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7. Other
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ic
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hi
at
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fri
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n/
/N
/A
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k
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Bl
In

4. What is your household income?
1. Under $25,000
18%
54%
2. $25,001 - 50,000
26%
3. $50,001 - 75,000
22%
4. $75,001 - $100,000
14%
20%
5. Over $100,000 24%
11%
9%
3%
Under $25,001 - $50,001 - $75,001 - Over
$25,000 50,0... 75,0... $100... $100,000

5. How long have you lived in the region?
1. Less than 2 years
64%
2. 2- 5 years
3. 5-10 years
4. 10 – 15 years
5. More than 15 years
10% 11%
8% 7%
rs
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or
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6. Who will win the NCAA Basketball
Tournament?
1. North Carolina
41%
Tarheels 36%
2. Villanova Wildcats
3. Michigan St.
Spartans
10%
4. Connecticut Huskies 8%
5%
5. What does this have
to do with civic
..
...
.
..
...
s. .
u.
a.
ild
.S
hi
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in
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oe
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ov
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ct
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ich
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ll
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7. Who will win the NCAA Basketball Tournament?
34% 45%
North Carolina Tar...
10% 7%
Villanova Wildcats
3% 5%
Michigan St. Spart...
14% 8%
Connecticut Huskies
38% 35%
What does this hav...
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Female Male

8. 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

9. Other Suggested Improvements for
Communication
• Improve values
• Adoption of a formalized decision-making
process
• Change in regional structure

10. Choose the 3 most important improvements to
information and communication that will make the
public process better.
1. Centralized source for
regional information 58%
2. Enhance traditional media 47%
45% 44%
3. Smart use of new media
4. More & better meetings
29%
5. Make meetings more
22%
21%
accessible
6. Make data more accessible
6%
7. Better civic education
8. Surveys for citizen input
..
.
..
..
...
..
..
..
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ak
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11. Question # 2
What is the most important thing we
need to work on to improve our
system of public decision making

12. 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.)
49%
1. Strongly Endorse
28%
2. Agree
15%
3. Needs Further
8%
Discussion
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

13. Emphasize values when creating the
vision. Spend more time reflecting on
values.
40%
35%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
15%
3. Needs Further 10%
Discussion
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

14. Emphasize more and better civic
education.
74%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
3. Needs Further 20%
Discussion 4% 2%
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

15. Proactive outreach by elected
officials.
50%
38%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
3. Needs Further 8%
Discussion 5%
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

16. Better recognition of pros and cons.
Make sure information is fair and
balanced.
64%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
27%
3. Needs Further
Discussion 6% 4%
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
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rt
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y
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s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

17. 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? )
36%
1. Strongly Endorse 28%
2. Agree 18% 18%
3. Needs Further
Discussion
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
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St

18. Have a better informed and
educated population.
76%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
3. Needs Further 17%
Discussion 5% 2%
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
En
rt
Di
Fu
y
gl
s
ed
n
ro
Ne
St

19. Need fact based decisions instead
of emotional ones.
53%
1. Strongly Endorse
2. Agree
19%
3. Needs Further 16%
12%
Discussion
4. Disagree
...
...
ee
ee
r
er
do
gr
r
h
Ag
sa
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s
ed
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20. Choose the 3 most important improvements that
will make the public process better.
1. Invest Regionally
23%
2. Emphasize values
3. More/better civic
education 17%
16%
4. Proactive outreach be
elected officials
10% 10%
10%
5. Fair & balanced
7%
information 7%
6. Create a new entity for
civic discourse
7. Better informed
population
...
..
...
..
...
..
..
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8. Fact based decisions
in
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21. Pick the improvement that will be the
easiest to accomplish.
1. Invest Regionally
2. Emphasize values
26%
3. More /better civic 24%
education
4. Proactive outreach by 17%
elected officials 13%
5. Fair & balanced
information 6%
5% 5% 5%
6. Create a new entity for
civic discourse
...
...
...
.
..
..
7. Better informed population
c..
...
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tr.
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8. Fact based decisions
ea
or
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22. Pick the improvement that you would be
willing to spend time on to help accomplish.
1. Invest Regionally
2. Emphasize values 26%
3. More / better civic education
4. Proactive outreach by elected 19%
officials 16%
15%
5. Fair & balanced information
6. Create a new entity for civic 8%
discourse 6%
5% 5%
7. Better informed population
8. Fact based decisions
...
...
...
.
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..
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23. EVALUATION

24. How much did you learn today?
1. Nothing/very little 39%
2. A little
3. Some 26%
22%
4. A fair amount
5. A lot 9%
4%
t
e
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nt
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it t
lit
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l
m
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ry
ra
ve
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/
fa
ng
A
i
th
No

25. How much did you express your
thoughts & opinions today?
1. I withheld a lot of 49%
my thoughts
2. I withheld some of
my thoughts
20% 20%
3. I mostly shared my
10%
thoughts
4. I spoke my piece!
..
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Is

26. To what extent did the
keypads/technology add to this
meeting? 45%
1. Nothing/very little 35%
2. A little
3. Some 17%
4. A fair amount
5. They were a critical 3%
1%
element
e
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Th