Congressional Management Foundation Finds Members of Congress Can Convey Accountability Through a Variety of Technological Mediums, Civic Engagement, and Staffer Empowerment

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Voters across the nation find it acceptable for Members of Congress to vote contrary to their views if they trust it was for valid reasons, according to a major new study from the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF). The Future of Citizen Engagement: What Americans Want from Congress & How Members Can Build Trust includes the results of national telephone surveys of Americans taken from 2016 through 2020.

Access Report Here: https://congressfoundation.org/public-opinion-trust-2021

When asked if constituents would find it acceptable for their Member to vote contrary more than three-quarters (78%) said they would, “if I had the confidence that my views were taken into account.” Additionally, 84% of voters surveyed said it would be acceptable to vote contrary to their views, “if I had confidence that my representative was voting based on what he or she really thought was best, rather than just doing what some special interest wants.”  

“These findings suggests there is a path to build trust in Congress through better communications,” said Bradford Fitch, President & CEO of CMF, a nonpartisan nonprofit with a 44-year history of working with Congress. “All of CMF’s experience and research shows that members of Congress genuinely do care what their constituents think. However, this research suggests they need to do a better job of demonstrating to the American people they really are listening,” he said.

The report outlines how offices can develop a Strategic Constituent Engagement Plan, stating that “only by thoughtful consideration and planning can an office use their strengths to build better, more trusting relationships with constituents.” It provides a foundation for offices to plan and consider who they are reaching, what mediums should be used, and what their Members’ strengths and preferences are for communicating.

The Future of Citizen Engagement: What Americans Want from Congress & How Members Can Build Trustalso details how to build constituent trust, offering tips and advice for congressional offices on how to successfully and efficiently engage with constituents. For example, empowering staffers can be a way to build valuable relationships with constituents and alleviate pressure on the Member of Congress. “Many offices found during the pandemic that when staffers are empowered to phone constituents to respond to confusing or non-standard issues, constituents felt richly acknowledged.”

The Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit whose mission is to build trust and effectiveness in Congress. Since 1977, CMF has worked internally with Member, committee, leadership, and institutional offices in the House and Senate to identify and disseminate best practices for management, workplace environment, communications, and constituent services. CMF also is the leading researcher and trainer on citizen engagement, educating thousands of individuals and facilitating better relationships with Congress.

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