Polarization in America: Survey of Local Government Survey III

Polarization in America: Survey of Local Government Survey III is the third installment in a series of surveys aimed at understanding the impact of polarization, identifying solutions, and strengthening communities. The report, conducted by the nonprofit research organization CivicPulse and commissioned by Carnegie Corporation of New York, explores how political polarization impacts governing at the local level using a mixed-methods approach of close-ended survey questions, open-ended survey questions, and follow-up interviews of local government officials. Between September and October 2025, CivicPulse surveyed 1,399 local government officials, including municipal, county, township, and school board leaders.