Editorial: Work your civic muscle

Go to the polls today.

Last update: November 3, 2009 - 10:39 AM

Here's news that's tailor-made for an editorial page on Election Day: Minnesota ranks first among the 50 states in a new measure of "civic health" -- an index that examines voting, volunteering to serve in community organizations, attending public meetings and working with others to address a community issue.

That assessment, released Monday, is based on census, voting and polling data collected by the National Conference on Citizenship. Founded in the aftermath of World War II, the conference's new civic index aims to give the nation a benchmark of its citizens' capacity for self-governance and shared problem solving.

The index found that while the Great Recession is being keenly felt in this state, Minnesotans are not retreating from community life as much as many other Americans are.

Two out of five Minnesotans surveyed said they were volunteering more time to civic causes in the wake of the recession. Nationwide, only one in four people made that change. Around the country, 72 percent of those surveyed said they had cut back on volunteering; fewer than 60 percent of Minnesotans had done so.

Today of all days, those findings should be received both as a pat on the back and a push out the door. It's municipal Election Day, and this state has a national reputation to maintain. If your city's polls are open today, please vote; polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Voting is not the only way citizens serve their communities, but it's a fundamental first step. A citizen who takes voting seriously will know the candidates, study the issues and see other ways to contribute to a stronger community. Voting tends to lead to doing -- mentoring young people, building playgrounds, delivering meals, hosting block parties, organizing art fairs. Minnesotans are good at all of those things.

Harry Boyte, the Humphrey Institute scholar who heads the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at Augsburg College, explained recently why Minnesotans do well to encourage each other to vote, volunteer and participate in community betterment efforts. He likened those activities to physical exercise.

"Public work builds civic muscle," Boyte said. "It teaches us to tap diverse talents, interests, and points of view. Learning the skills of cooperative action across differences generates longer life spans, better intergroup relations, more effective governments and smarter communities. It develops confidence and hope that we can shape our communities, and our destiny."

Can voting make you more confident and hopeful about your community? Head to the polls today to find out.

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