For this report, a person is considered a group member if he or she belongs to at least one group or organization or attends a meeting of any group or organization. To be a leader, a person also must have served as an ofcer or on a committee of a group or organization within the 12 months previous to the survey.

Illinois boasts a higher percentage of residents involved in community groups compared with the nation as a whole (37.2% vs. 35.1%). The state ranks 27th in the rate of people 18 and older who belong to religious, neighborhood, school, or sports groups in their communities. Illinoisans belong to churches or religious groups at a greater rate than the nation as a whole (21.3% vs. 18.0%). Notably, group participation in service or civic organizations in Illinois, while slightly higher than the national average (7.5% vs. 6.8%), was signicantly lower than religious or school group membership.

The most frequently cited indicator of participation in a group is attending a meeting of that group; Illinoisans attend meetings for groups or organizations at about the same rate as nationally (21.8% vs. 21.5%). When it comes to leadership, dened as individuals serving as ofcers or members of committees for groups or organizations, Illinois has a slight edge compared with the national rate (11.2% vs. 10.1%).

More than one–fth of respondents in Illinois performed at least one political act other than voting, the same rate as nationwide (26.3% vs. 26.3%). The most frequent political act engaged in other than voting at an election happens to be related to elections, namely, showing support for a particular candidate or party, with Illinoisans falling slightly short of the national average (14.1% vs. 14.8%). The next two most frequently cited acts are contacting a public official or buying or boycotting a product. On these two parameters, Illinoisans engage at a rate equal to or slightly higher than their national counterparts (11.2% vs. 10.4%, and 10.8% vs. 10.7%, respectively). However, in the fourth most commonly cited political act other than voting, attending a public meeting, Illinoisans lag behind their national counterparts (9.6% vs. 10.3%). Finally, Illinoisans exercise their First Amendment right through protesting or participating in a march or rally as infrequently as the rest of the nation, with only 3.1% in Illinois and nationally reporting they have engaged in these types of activities.

While most of the Illinois statistics for engaging in a political act other than voting are slightly higher or equal to the national average, the levels of engagement overall are far too low for a society that prides itself on being a representative democracy. These statistics mirror the results generated in a report by the McCormick Foundation's Freedom Museum titled, “Americans' Awareness of First Amendment Freedoms.” Of 1,000 adults randomly surveyed, 70% were able to recall freedom of speech as one of the First Amendment rights, but only 10% were able to recall freedom of the press; 9% identied freedom of assembly; and shockingly only 1% knew the freedom to petition the government was included in the First Amendment. 16 At a time when a vast majority of the public is unaware of their First Amendment rights and how to affect change, it is consistent that a mere 3.1% of individuals would engage in actions that overtly utilize their protected freedoms to have their voices heard on issues important to them. The citizenry's lack knowledge related to civic rights and how to engage, and the ensuing lack of capacity to inuence government decision–making, are interrelated and systemic deciencies. Moreover, the statistical discrepancy between the state (9.6%) and the nation (10.3%) with respect to attendance at a public meeting is consistent with earlier poll results that revealed one reason Illinoisans do not vote is because they are skeptical about whether their participation makes a difference.

Despite the low rates of political engagement, the survey does point to specic indicators that, when read in conjunction with one another, illustrate a climate conducive to political engagement. For example, there is a strong correlation between group membership and political participation. One could surmise that when people become civically engaged, they do so with people with whom they normally associate. This correlation presents a tremendous opportunity when examining how to increase civic health in Illinois and highlights that educating the public about how to be civically engaged requires a holistic community approach by identifying issues of public concern at the structures and institutions where people habitually spend time. Integrating elements of basic civic engagement is an essential manner in which to increase the likelihood of political engagement that will in turn lead to a healthier democracy.