CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - The City of Citrus Heights launched FlashVote and the community’s first survey — that focused on COVID responses and recovery — closed with over 400 responses in two days.

“We had an internal goal of 400 FlashVote sign-ups in two weeks, and we hit 514,” said Communications Officer Nichole Baxter. “We knew FlashVote had high participation rates in other cities, so we were hoping our community would be responsive – and they were.”

The City’s first survey had a 72% participation rate for those who signed up, and sign-ups for the platform continue to grow. City leaders shared that they are encouraged by the participation rates, and that the feedback they received was invaluable. Staff have already begun preliminary plans for follow-up action items, based on community responses.

The City will continue to promote the platform and use FlashVote as a tool for community engagement. “It’s more important than ever that we connect with our residents, and we are extremely focused on listening and responding to what our community wants,” said Baxter.

With the first FlashVote survey, City staff asked questions to get a sense of how to best support the community during the pandemic. Full results of the survey are available after signing up at FlashVote.com/CitrusHeights, and those without internet access can sign up by calling 775-235-2240.

One of the survey questions focused on how COVID-19 has influenced buying behavior, and asked residents how shopping might change after State and County restrictions end. “We knew that question would provide interesting results,” said Baxter. “When we think about shopping behavior, it’s hard to imagine everything going back to the way things were pre-COVID.”

Whenever restrictions end and life goes back to normal, how do you think your use of online shopping will change?

I never really switched to more online ordering for pickup/delivery, so no change–29.0%

I will stop all my new online ordering – I’m going back to my previous in-person shopping and dining behavior–8.8%

I will still do some online ordering that I wasn’t doing before – but I will go back to most of my in-person shopping and dining behavior–44.0%

I will keep doing most of the online ordering I wasn’t doing before – so I will only go back to some of my previous in-person shopping and dining–12.2%

I will keep doing all of the online ordering I wasn’t doing before –I won’t go back to that previous in-person shopping and dining–1.7%

Not Sure–4.3%

(The above question was in the City of Citrus Heights’ first FlashVote survey.)

The next Citrus Heights FlashVote survey will launch in October 2020.