What does this measure?
The percentage of residents who report always voting in local elections.
Why is this important?
Voting is a basic right of all citizens and indicates the citizenry's interest, commitment and belief in the value of participating in the political process.
How is Arkansas doing?
In 2017, 47% of Arkansas residents reported that they voted in local elections. This signals similar local political involvement than for the nation overall (48% vote). This ranked Arkansas 35th out of the 51 states and Washington DC in terms of local voting participation.
Notes about the data
Data from 2017 onwards is from the Corporations for National and Community Service (CNCS) which sponsors the Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). The survey varies in important ways from prior supplements in that the volunteering and civic life supplements are now combined resulting in a longer survey which may make the data less comparable to prior years.
No county data is available. Due to changes in the survey question, data prior to 2017 is not comparable. The sample is selected so that it is reliable at the national and state level, data for smaller geographic areas (such as Metropolitan Statistical Areas) is not as reliable.| 2017 | |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | 47% |
| United States | 48% |
| INDICATORS | TREND | STATE |
|---|---|
| Community: Voter Participation Rate | Decreasing |
| Community: Charitable Giving | Increasing |
| Community: Volunteering | Increasing |
| Community: Group Participation | Increasing |
| Community: Connection to Neighbors | Decreasing |
| Community: Local Voting | Not Applicable |
