Executive Director's Report, 0915 ALBJ, 76 The Alabama Lawyer 296 (2015)
| Author | Keith B. Norman, J. |
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\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0Alabama's Civic Health in 2015
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The David Mathews Center for Civic Life located at the University of Montevallo recently sent me a copy of the 2015 Alabama Civic Health Index. The index is a joint effort of the Mathews Center, Auburn University College of Liberal Arts, the University of Alabama New College and the National Conference on Citizenship. This is the second in-depth report on our state's civic health. The first one was conducted in 2011. This report is essentially a "snapshot" of what is occurring in cities and towns across the state where thousands of citizens come together to identify and address community issues in locations as varied as town halls, coffee shops and school rooms.
\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0\xA0The premise of the study and index is that in order for a democratic form of government, at all levels, to be successful, individuals must work together to address public issues and improve their communities. The 2015 index measures Alabama's civic health by studying formal and informal activities of citizens, including voting, discussing politics, participating in community groups and organizations and engaging with fellow citizens to solve community problems or improve local conditions. The four key findings of the index reveal:
• Nearly every indicator of civic health is positively rated with educational attainment. Alabamians who hold a bachelor's degree have higher rates of engagement in almost every measure of political action.
• Alabamians age 30 and over are nearly twice as likely as 18-29 year olds to vote in national (67.2 percent vs. 40.3 percent) and local (67.2 percent vs. 38.5 percent) elections.
• Urban Alabamians are more likely to vote and contact public officials, while rural Alabamians discuss politics with family and friends and exchange favors with neighbors more often.
• Trust forms an important component of any social bond, and 61.3 percent of Alabamians report trusting all or most of their neighbors. Nationally only 55.8 percent of Americans reported trusting their neighbors.
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