Civic engagement in Wisconsin goes beyond the ballot box: State leads in voter turnout, but volunteerism is slipping
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- How civically engaged are you? Well according to a study by UW-Madison, being civically engaged means more than just going to the polls.
The Center for Community and Nonprofit studies says civic engagement includes attending a community parade or event, participating in a boycott or protest, being involved with veteran organizations, volunteering or simply helping a neighbor. Historically, Wisconsin has some of the highest voter turnouts in the country. According to civic health experts, that fact has held true, including in last week’s primary.
According to a study done by the University of Wisconsin, 65% of Wisconsinites show up to the polls during national elections, and 53% show up nationally. There is one area where Wisconsin residents aren’t showing up like they used to.
“In recent years, one very concerning piece of data we have come up on is that our volunteerism rate has declined dramatically during the pandemic area, and it was actually more serious than our neighboring states,” Mary Beth Collins, executive director of the Center of Community and Nonprofit Studies at UW-Madison, said.
Volunteerism, along with attending local community meetings or even just helping a neighbor, are considered forms of civic engagement but experts like Mary Beth Collins say there are issues that are bringing us all together. Data centers, AI and social media regulations are creating a bridge towards the progress of mending the fracture in society.
“There is long-standing polling that shows that regardless of the way a person politically identifies, when you ask them about specific issues, a vast majority of Americans feel similarly on those issues to each other,” Collins said.
Overall, Wisconsin remains one of the nation's strongest states for voting, volunteering, charitable giving, and community connectedness, but faces growing challenges from declining local political participation, reduced local election competition, civic disparities by education and geography, and the erosion of local news institutions.
The Center for Community and Nonprofit studies is currently collecting data on the 2026 primary election. They plan to release a breakdown of voting trends and turnout in the coming weeks.