North Carolina's civic health lags that of other states. Generally speaking, North Carolina ranks in the bottom 50% of major civic health indicators except for those related to voting in 2008, where the state ranks in the top 30% in voter turnout.

VOLUNTEERING
North Carolina ranks 42nd in the nation for volunteering among residents ages 16 and older. In 2009, 23.6% of residents 16 and older reported volunteering in the past 12 months. This low ranking should be a source of concern. However it is important to note that North Carolina's volunteer rate has remained relatively stable since 2006, while some states have experienced sharp declines in volunteerism during these tough economic times. This is particularly impressive given North Carolina's higher–than–average poverty rate (14.6% compared with 13.2% nationally) and higher–than–average unemployment rate (I0% compared with 8.5% nationally) in 2009. 17

Another possible explanation for North Carolina's below–average volunteer rate is that there are fewer opportunities for volunteering in our state than in others. Communities with a higher number of nonprots per capita are more likely to have higher volunteer rates. As the number of nonprots per 1,000 city residents increases, the volunteering rate also increases. The national average is 4.45 nonprofit organizations per 1,000 city residents. North Carolina has, on average, 4.01 nonprots per 1,000 city residents. 18

Both in North Carolina and nationally, volunteers are most likely to spend their time volunteering for religious organizations, followed by children's educational organizations. However, the rate at which North Carolinians volunteer for religious organizations is 7 percentage points higher than that of the nation; 41.7% of North Carolinians who volunteer do so at religious organizations, compared with 34.7% nationally.

When asked how they became a volunteer, nearly half of Americans and North Carolinians responded, “I was asked,” which indicates that people are willing to give their time if asked to do so.

GROUP ASSOCIATION AND LEADERSHIP
Community organizations such as religious, neighborhood, school, and sports groups are an important part of North Carolinian's civic infrastructure. These groups provide residents with opportunities to make their communities better places to live, connect with one another, and develop leadership skills that may translate to other aspects of civic participation. Unfortunately, North Carolinians are not participating in community groups at very high rates, ranking 39th nationally with 32.9% of people 18 and older belonging to a community group. Furthermore, 7% of North Carolinians take a leadership role by serving as an ofcer or on a committee for the groups to which they belong. Nationally, 35.1% of Americans are members of at least one group or organization, and 8.5% are civil society leaders. 19

CONNECTING WITH OTHERS
North Carolina ranks 12th in the rate of people 18 and older who exchange favors with their neighbors, a measure of connecting with others. Seventeen percent of adult residents report exchanging favors a few times a week, compared with the national rate of 16%. Another measure of connecting with others is how often one eats dinner with family. North Carolinians 18 and older are equally as likely as their national counterparts to eat dinner with family; 89% eat dinner with family at least a few times a week.

VOTING
Between 2004 and 2008, North Carolina leapt from ranking 42nd to 15th in the nation in voter turnout. In 2008, 67.5% of citizens 18 and older reported that they voted. This is nearly 4 percentage points higher than the national average and 6 percentage points higher than North Carolina's 2004 voter turnout. Like other Southern states, turnout in North Carolina has lagged well behind the national averages since the beginning of the Jim Crow era of disenfranchisement and segregation following Reconstruction. In fact, the state's turnout in 2008 was its highest in more than 100 years. 20

More than three–quarters of eligible North Carolinians are registered to vote, ranking the state 12th in the nation for voter registration, a substantial increase from the state's ranking of 30th in 2004. In 2008, 75.7% of eligible North Carolinians reported that they were registered to vote, compared with 71% of all Americans. This is a 3 percentage point increase from North Carolina's 2004 registration rate.

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Although North Carolina ranks high in voting, participation in other political activities, such as attending a public meeting, taking part in a rally, or donating to a candidate, is quite low. Among North Carolinians 18 and older, 22% engage in at least one type of non–electoral political act, ranking North Carolina 44th in the nation. Nationally, 26.3% of Americans 18 and older engage in at least one type of non–electoral political act.

North Carolinians are a less likely than other Americans to talk about politics with friends and family. Among residents 18 and older, 38% report talking about politics with friends and family at least a few times a week. Nationally, 39.3% of Americans 18 and older discuss politics with friends and family a few times a week or more.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT INDICATORS: FINDINGS AND COMPARISONS
Civic engagement is more than just voting. It is a broad spectrum of activities that make our communities better places to live. When residents vote in local elections, volunteer to assist those in need, sit on school boards, or even voice their concerns through letters to the editor, they are making our communities better places to live.

The civic engagement of North Carolina, and the United States, can be measured through a broad composite that includes several of the most frequently measured and discussed forms of civic participation. The composite measure, which captures participation in government, public work, and service, serves as a single indicator of a state's civic health.

The chart [above] provides comparisons between North Carolina and the nation on the ve core measures of civic health (marked with asterisk), as well as ve other indicators of civic participation:

Based on this composite measure of ve indicators, North Carolina's civic health is slightly below average. Residents voted in the 2008 election at a rate that exceeded the national average, and North Carolinians contribute money at the same rate as the national average. These civic behaviors are characterized by completing one specic and traditional, task, i.e., going to the polls to vote or writing a check to support a cause. However, North Carolinians lag behind the national average on measures of engagement that might require a more substantial time commitment, i.e., volunteering, working with neighbors to solve a community problem, and expressing political voice.