The North Carolina Open Government Coalition is encouraged by the growth in awareness of open government laws in the state. In data released today, the latest Elon University Poll found 46 percent of residents were aware of the laws that guarantee citizen access to public meetings and records, which is up from 35 percent last year.
“Citizen awareness of open government laws is indispensable to good government and the continued health of our democracy,” said Hugh Stevens, president of the NCOG coalition. “The fact that this number continues to grow is a good sign, and we hope for continued awareness.”
The poll, conducted March 15-19, surveyed 620 North Carolina residents and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Respondents were polled during Sunshine Week, in an effort by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to educate citizens. The Coalition’s Sunshine Center, located at Elon University, held its celebration of Sunshine Week at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum on Tuesday in Greensboro.
“These results are especially encouraging because they represent a steady increase from 24 percent in 2007,” said Connie Ledoux Book, executive director of the Sunshine Center. “Our goal for the last two years has been to raise awareness in the state of these laws and the results find we are making good progress.”
Book noted that the work isn’t done and that the Coalition’s goal is for all residents to understand the importance of sunshine laws in the operation of a democratic North Carolina.
From the Elon Poll:
North Carolina residents are now more aware (46 percent) of the state’s laws allowing public access to government records, information and meetings than they were when polled on the same question a year ago (35 percent). Respondents were polled during Sunshine Week, an effort by the American Society of Newspaper Editors to educate citizens about open government and access to records.
Most citizens see the value of public access to records. Seventy-four percent said this kind of access is “very important,” while 83 percent feel open records and meetings keep government operations honest. Nearly all (91 percent) respondents feel democracy is best when it operates openly.
When asked whether citizen access to public documents, records, information and meetings does influence or does not influence government operations, respondents answered:
Does influence: 80 percent
Does not influence: 15 percent
Sixty-eight percent of respondents rejected the notion that closed records and meetings allow government to get things done more effectively. While the majority of citizens advocate for government transparency, 78 percent feel exceptions should be made if such action will aid the war on terrorism. More than half of respondents (56 percent) have attempted to gain access to public documents in the past. Of these individuals, 87 percent were successful in their efforts.
The full poll results are available at http://www.elon.edu/e-net/Note.aspx?id=944160&board_ids=5&max=5