Civic Life in America

Voting is a common way in which Americans participate in civic life. In fact, 58.2% of adults voted in the 2008 presidential election and 41.8% voted in the 2010 election. As one of the most traditional forms of civic engagement, voting provides an important way for individuals to influence local and national issues.

Millions of Americans are active in civic life by working with neighbors to improve their communities. Neighbors working together can be an informal activity, organized by residents themselves without the help of an organization or institution. Between 2008 and 2010, almost twenty million adults (8.4%) worked with their neighbors to fix a community problem each year.

Americans use service to address critical issues in their communities. For example, on average between 2008 and 2010, almost 62.7 million Americans volunteered each year through or for an organization, equating to 26.5% of adults. Adults who volunteer are more likely to participate in other forms of civic engagement than those who do not volunteer.

Social Connectedness activities encompass everyday forms of social interaction with family members and communities. Though they do not take place within formal groups or organizations, they promote interest in working with others and can lead to other types of civic participation. For example, between 2008 and 2010, 56.9% of Americans exchanged favors each year with neighbors at least once a month on average.

Participation in groups and associations is considered a strong litmus test for the strength of civic involvement. Between 2008 and 2010, approximately 34.5% of Americans aged 18 and over participated in one or more groups on average each year.