What is this indicator?
This indicator measures the number of residents who have participated in City-sponsored meetings in the past year, including City Council meetings, City Commission meetings, or special-topic workshops.
Why is it important?
Civic engagement is an important aspect of community that helps people feel not only a sense of belonging, but also a sense of power,voice, and influence in one’s community. Santa Monica prides itself on high levels of voter participation and civic engagement, yet there is room for improvement—particularly in engaging the younger population.
Local government has been slow to make use of emerging methods of connecting with citizens and promoting participation. Reliance on old models of engagement may mean that some segments of the population are left out of the process. Improving communication about opportunities for civic participation are important to grow resident participation in City-sponsored meetings.