Core Values

Citizens Count's core values are a set of ideals that reflect what is centrally important to the organization and its members. These values are integrated into our organization's policies, actions and activities, affecting all aspects of what we undertake.

Civic education: Information is essential to the development of an informed, effective, and responsible citizenry.  We foster efforts to effectively educate citizens of all ages in civic history, contemporary civics, and civic responsibility. 

Collaboration: We actively seek to collaborate with members of the community and with other organizations that share our mission and values. Leveraging our community partners helps us reach new audiences and impact more lives. 

Communication: Free speech and the expression of the collective will of the people are vital to a democracy. We work to provide our elected officials with timely and valuable citizen input as well as fostering direct communication among citizens and between citizens and their elected officials. 

Civic engagement: Citizen involvement is vital to our democracy, making citizens more capable of the important, ongoing work of guiding our democratic government.  We work to facilitate civic engagement, including the development of participatory civic skills. 

Ethics: Integrity and a commitment to ethical behavior are vital to good government and public service.  We ascribe to and promote efforts and activities aimed at achieving and maintaining the highest ethical standards in government. 

Issue information & knowledge: For citizenship to thrive, members of the public must have access to factual, unbiased information about issues, candidates and elected officials, as well as fair and open spaces for discussion and the exchange of opinion.  We provide these resources across a range of platforms and are vigorously nonpartisan.  Click here to read our policy on editorial nonpartisanship and independence.

Informed voting: An informed electorate is essential to a healthy democracy.  We broadly educate voters about candidates and issues, supporting efforts to enhance voter education and increase voter participation. 

Respect: Good citizenship requires approaching all people and their perspectives with consideration and courtesy.  We promote respectful dialog among citizens and between citizens and elected officials. 

Transparency: All citizens have a fundamental right to transparency in the operation and conduct of their government.  We work to ensure that our elected officials are transparent in their actions, issue positions, beliefs and voting records.  We are also transparent in our sources of funding. Click here to read our donor transparency policy.

Do you share these values? Take a stand by becoming a member today.