The Digital First Impression, Revisited

Residents often form their first impression of your office online: an agenda, a legal notice or a public record. New national research from CivicPlus® shows how well those impressions hold up.

Brenden Elwood, VP of Market Research at CivicPlus shares an early look at findings from 34,151 U.S. residents surveyed since 2022, and what they mean for the priorities, budgets and conversations that shape the year ahead.

Key Findings & Discussion Points

• 62% of residents say their local government’s website reflects the quality of its leadership, up from 54% a year ago
• 70% call accessibility compliance highly important, 68% want it prioritized, and the ADA Title II compliance deadlines are closing in
• 55% are concerned about AI misusing their personal, financial, or health data, but 48% support AI outright if it’s secure, and another 28% are persuadable
• 94% support the same or more investment in resident technology; only 6% want less
• 79% support tax dollars going toward getting information to the public faster
• Privacy Advocates are the largest resident segment (24%) and among the least trusting (13% trust). They are the ghost this session is written for.

What You Will Learn

• Hear the latest national research from CivicPlus: Gain updated insight from the 2025 resident survey and understand how digital engagement correlates with trust
• Quantify the link between digital engagement and trust
• Understand resident expectations around transparency and records access: Explore why many residents consider access to administrative decisions and public records essential to building trust
• Navigate public sentiment around AI: Understand how residents view AI use in local government and how to communicate emerging technology initiatives transparently and responsibly
• Strengthen the case for mobile, accessibility, and self-service investment: Use clear data points (including support for mobile reporting tools) to justify continued investment in inclusive, accessible digital experiences

Join us to close out 2026 with national data your council will recognize. Clerks and records managers will leave with the language and data to justify continued investment in accessibility and self-service tools.

Register Now