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Goal: Our state will foster a climate of inclusion that encourages active participation from everyone living in our community.
We all gain when everyone participates in society--by running for office, getting involved in community, starting a local business, donating to a charity or lending time and talent as a volunteer. People must also believe they are valued members of their community, and have a voice in shaping it. Our region has a rich history of strong civic engagement. But our rapidly changing cultural, business and demographic landscape brings new challenges. How well we meet the demands of an evolving Minnesota will determine our citizen participation in the next century.
what's happening
Overall, we have active residents who feel that their work can have an impact, as part of a larger community that can work together for common goals:
- With about 74 percent of the voting-age population casting a ballot during the 2008 election, Minnesota led all states in voter turnout, followed by Maine, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Residents of the Twin Cities region were most likely to head to the polls, followed by the Northland region.
- With about 37 percent of Minnesotans contributing time and energy to organizations, we outpace the national volunteerism rate by more than 10 percentage points. Our state ranked third in the nation (behind Utah and Nebraska) in percentage of residents volunteering.
making connections
A strong economy and business climate provides resources for community involvement and fosters employee participation in their communities.
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