Innovations in web technology have the potential to help city and county governments improve their delivery of services and engage local communities in governance. CivicPlus, a technology company that specializes in municipal websites, has created hundreds of sites for local governments throughout the USA for community engagement. Using civic engagement theories and best practices of online civic engagement, this research project audits 100 CivicPlus sites for their civic engagement capabilities. Results indicate that most cities and county governments place a heavy emphasis on using their websites to streamline delivery of services and little effort in promoting citizen participation and democracy. We suggest a civic engagement model for local governments that emphasizes the two dimensions of service delivery as well as participation of citizens in the local democratic process.

Civic engagement draws its theoretical foundation from Jurgen Habermas theory of the public sphere. Habermas ideal of the public sphere imagines a space where citizens engage in deliberation on public issues.

1.What are the tools for civic engagement on municipal websites?

2.What model of civic engagement is emphasized on municipal websites?

Researchers conducted a content analysis of 100 randomly selected websites developed by CivicPlus for municipal governments.

1. Most websites lacked the ability to allow citizens to actively contribute or participate in governmental decisions.

We would like to thank the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications and the Developing Scholars Program at Kansas State University.

Civic engagement has been defined as a heightened sense of responsibility through which individuals, acting as citizens of their own communities, their nations, and the world, are empowered as agents of positive social change for a more democratic world (Coalition for Civic Engagement and Leadership, 2004). Municipal government Web sites are well positioned for civic engagement because local government is the institution closest to citizens. The Web sites may facilitate civic engagement by providing information and opportunities for participation in civic life. CivicPlus Web sites seek to foster civic engagement between citizens and their local governments.

2. The idea of civic engagement for most municipal websites is based around streamlining service delivery. The websites only utilized the direct service portion of the civic engagement model, and failed to emphasize a participatory model of engagement.

Tools for civic engagement on municipal websites Percentage of websites

providing capability Workspace for city and citizens to work together on city plans 0% Discussion forum 1% Games to generate intrest 0% Surveys and polls 20% Social media for communication between citizens and city officals 75% Mapping capabilities for data visualization 63% Database of important documents such as budgets and city policies 86% Provide information for knowledge and involvement (meetings, events, video, live streaming) 98% Citizen interaction, facebook and twitter 54% Enable other civic initiatives (signing petitions, making donations, community service opportunities) 41% Space for community groups 11% Information on technology centers for those without computers 0% Language choice 15%

In the last ten years there has been a rapid increase in the quantity and quality of tools for online engagement. Despite innovations in web and communication technologies, there is much that can be improved to increase the level of civic engagement and participation in public affairs. To achieve Habermas ideal of the public sphere, a participation model of civic engagement must be emphasized on civic websites.

Table 1

Table 2

Games to generate interest