Community Building

Atlanta Regional Commission Supported Web Site

Community Building

Goal 1: Enhance the public's confidence in local government by coupling strong leadership with strict accountability.

Confidence in government as measured through opinion polls

Goal 2: Develop an active concern for community in our youth.

Number of students in the region participating in youth organizations such as the Y Clubs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and Boys and Girls Club TEENSupreme® Keystone (leadership) Clubs.

Goal 3: Encourage citizens to take a more active role in their communities.

Voter turnout

Rates of volunteerism and charitable giving

Goal 4: Increase the role of citizens in making decisions that affect the community.

Number of applications to the Regional Leadership Institute (RLI)

Goal 5: Build more partnerships between government and grassroots citizen groups.

Survey of local government officials to discover number of cooperative arrangements or programs with citizen groups

Goal 6: Increase the level of partnerships among the private sector, government, nonprofit organizations and the community.

Number of contracts between and among local governments and private for-profit and not-for-profit service-delivery organizations

Goal 7: Create more political opportunities for people from disadvantaged groups.

Number of minorities in elected offices

Rate of voter turnout among minority groups

Links

GOAL 3: Encourage citizens to take a more active role in their communities.

INDICATOR: Voter turnout

Why is this important?

Voter turnout measures the percentage of registered voters who actually cast a vote in a particular election - and also reveals the percentage of citizens who opt out of the process. A key indicator of civic health, voting is fundamental to the democratic process, enabling citizens to make their voices heard on policy issues and to choose government leaders and hold them accountable for their actions.

How are we doing?

In the 10-county metro region, 40 percent of registered voters turned out for the November 2006 Gubernatorial election. This is down from 55 percent in the 2002 Gubernatorial election and 79 percent in the 2004 Presidential election.

Viewed by County, registered voters in Fayette County showed the highest voter turnout rate at 56 percent followed by Cobb and DeKalb with just over 50 percent. At 49 percent, Clayton County showed the lowest voter turnout.