The United States was founded on the principles of a new kind of democracy, in which citizens were afforded essential rights and liberties and given the opportunity to participate freely in the government and politics. Massachusetts, in particular, is seen as a figurative place of origin for the leaders and revolutionary movement that led to our country’s success in establishing a modern democratic republic.

As the legacy and potential of our country relies upon an engaged citizenry, individuals have the privilege and responsibility to become informed and involved in their society. This engagement is important not only on a national level, through avenues such as voting in presidential elections, but also on statewide and local levels. It takes shape in many forms—through strengthening social capital by connecting with one’s neighbors, family and friends; through engaging in the political system by contacting elected officials or casting a vote; or through participating in community groups such as service programs, religious organizations or a local sports team. Each of these forms of engagement plays a critical role in shaping how our communities, economies and democracy function. Research has shown that we are individually and collectively better off when we work together. In fact, recent research from the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) has found “that five measures of civic engagement – attending meetings, helping neighbors, registering to vote, volunteering and voting – appear to help protect against unemployment and contribute to overall economic resilience.”(1)

Given the critical importance of civic health to our communities and our democracy, it is a topic that merits further exploration, understanding, and recognition. Civic engagement not only promotes a more interconnected society, but it also empowers citizens to engage directly with the institutions that govern their lives. Especially in light of today’s nationally contested issues and the high disapproval rates for public officials, civic engagement is more important than ever. As reflected in recent polls, citizens are frustrated with the direction in which the country is headed and want change. A new national poll by Harvard’s Institute of Politics (IOP) reports that only 12% of young Americans (18- to 29-year olds) believe the country is ‘headed in the right direction,’ while more than half (52%) consider things are on the ‘wrong track.’ In addition, approval of President Obama’s handling of the economy among 18- to 29-year olds dropped by ten percentage points to 32% since February polling.(2) Given this sense of frustration and disillusionment, it is even more important to restore a sense of self-efficacy paired with opportunities for engagement, through avenues such as working with neighbors, influencing political systems, volunteerism, and building stronger networks among communities.

Once a historic hub of this kind of citizen action, Massachusetts has not seen considerable increase in participation in recent years and has even experienced downward trends in many cases, which will be explored throughout this report. This decline could be attributed to a variety of factors worth exploring further, among them lack of civic education or lack of awareness of opportunities to become involved. Regardless of the causes, this stagnation is troubling.

Massachusetts needs to engage the input, voice, and contributions of all of its citizens in order to be stronger. With its diverse set of demographics, geographically, economically, and ethnically, Massachusetts has great potential to become a model of an inclusive government that engages all residents in meaningful ways. While the path to increased inclusion and engagement is challenging, public, private, and nonprofit leaders, as well as residents, must do more to encourage greater engagement. The results of this effort will strengthen the civic fabric of our communities and state for years to come.

Report Overview
The purpose of this report is to take a critical look at the current state of civic health in Massachusetts and understand current trends and rates of participation relative to the nation. To help track and measure civic health in Massachusetts, the IOP turned to NCoC, an organization chartered by Congress, that began publishing America’s Civic Health Index in 2006. In 2008, NCoC began partnering with local institutions to produce state-level reports. After passage of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009, NCoC partnered with the Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Census Bureau to expand the civic health assessment through the Census Current Population Survey (CPS).
The Index has become the leading gauge of how Americans are connecting to each other and engaging in their communities. Throughout this report, civic health is examined by measuring a broad set of indicators such as the rates at which people are voting and volunteering, as well as how individuals are connected to family and friends, neighbors, and institutions. This 2011 Civic Health Index is based on analysis of CPS data performed by the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

Through seeking to better understand where Massachusetts and its residents are most and least engaged, we begin to put forward a series of recommendations for how the state, its citizens, and key stakeholders – institutions of higher learning in particular – can contribute to increased and sustained civic engagement and participation.