Increasing Civic Engagement

Civic engagement allows individuals and groups to demonstrate their commitment to creating a healthy community. People develop and use their knowledge, skills, and power to cultivate change. Such actions can help improve the conditions that influence health and well-being for all. A civically engaged population demonstrates that people care about their community and are motivated to participate.
Civic engagement — such as voting and volunteering — is good for the health of our democracy and the health of our bodies, and minds. People of color, people with disabilities, households with lower income, those without health insurance, and young people are most likely to be among those unregistered to vote and to experience barriers to voting. However, research indicates that states with greater levels of
civic participation and more inclusive voting policies, such as automatic and same-day registration, open voter identification (ID) requirements, re-enfranchisement of people with prior felony conviction, and
mail voting options experience better health outcomes.
2020 Presidential Election Voter Turnout

35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95%
Percentage of Eligible Voters that Voted in the 2020 Presidential Election
• In Wisconsin, 71.7% voted in the 2020 presidential election. Minnesota had higher participation

100%

at 74.3%, while Iowa had lower turnout at 68.5%. Arkansas had the lowest voter turnout at 51.9%, while Washington D.C. had the highest at 77.8%. Nationwide, 61.3% voted.
2020 Presidential Election Voters in Wisconsin by Urbanicity and Race/Ethnicity

Community
Type

Race/Ethnicity

40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Percentage of WI Eligible Voters that Voted in the 2020 Presidential Election
• Within Wisconsin, there was considerable variation among rural and urban counties in the 2020
election. Voter turnout was higher in suburban (86.4%), smaller metro counties (78.6%), and rural counties (72.3%). Milwaukee was the lowest (64.6%).
• Voter turnout also varied among racial and ethnic groups in Wisconsin, ranging from 79% of White voters to 60% of Hispanic voters.

Call to Action
There are ways that we can increase civic engagement. Recommendations include:
• Removing barriers to voting.
• Fostering social connections within communities, cultivating empowered and civically engaged youth and adults through leadership development and peer mentoring, and supporting trauma- informed approaches to community building and support.
• Prioritizing and supporting community-driven civic engagement efforts.

 Data Sources

Measure Definition Source (Year)
Length and Quality of Life
Mortality The age-adjusted rate of death per 100,000 population. CDC WONDER (2015-2019)
Fair or Poor Health The percentage of adults who consider themselves to be in fair or poor health. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2020)
Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care
Uninsured The percentage of the population without health insurance coverage. American Community Survey, 5-year estimates (2015-2019)
Expanding Safe and Affordable Housing
Severe Housing Cost Burden The percentage of households
that spend 50% or more of their income on housing. American Community Survey, 5-year estimates (2015-2019)
Severe Housing Cost Burden The percentage of households
that spend 50% or more of their income on housing. Comprehensive Housing
Affordability Strategy (2014-
2018)
Black/White Residential Segregation The index of dissimilarity where higher values indicate greater residential segregation between Black and White residents of a county.
American Community Survey, 5-year estimates (2015-2019)
Increasing Economic Resources for Children and Families
Children in Poverty The percentage of people under age 18 living in poverty. American Community Survey, 5-year estimates (2015-2019)
Expanding Broadband Infrastructure
Broadband Access The percentage of households with broadband internet connection. American Community Survey, 5-year estimates (2015-2019)
Increasing Civic Engagement
Voter Turnout The percentage of voters in
the 2020 Presidential Election among total population.
U.S. Census Data (April 2021)
Voter Turnout The percentage of voters in
the 2020 Presidential Election among voting age population. Wisconsin State Legislature’s GIS Open Data Portal (2020)