Weigh In: Surveys Gather Valuable Resident Data in Different Ways on Multiple Topics

How the information is gathered determines whether results can be generalized to the whole population.

This is the third in a series of blog posts, titled “Weigh In,” that highlight the many ways in which residents can engage with the City and its leadership to provide input into policy development and decision-making.

Surveys cover a wide range of topics and are gathered and used by many different organizations and companies in many different ways. The City of Virginia Beach uses the results of surveys for different goals and uses. The City and department staff members conduct some surveys, while others are conducted by third-party vendors on contract with the City. Surveys offer an important opportunity for residents to provide their input, usually without needing to appear in person, and residents are encouraged to complete City surveys whenever possible.

An important distinction in surveys is whether the results can be generalized to the whole population. Most surveys are not able to capture responses from every person in Virginia Beach. Instead, a smaller sample of the population completes the survey. How this sample is selected determines whether the results can be used to represent the whole population, and it does not necessarily correspond to the number of responses or the percentage of the population that completes the survey.

In order for the results to be generalizable to the whole population, or “statistically valid,” each person in the population must have an equal opportunity — or a known chance — to be selected to complete the survey. Additional requirements and standards may be applied to the results to ensure that smaller groups are represented and that larger groups are not overrepresented. With a random-sample survey, it also is possible to determine a standard of accuracy for the generalizable results, which is usually calculated at a 95% confidence level. This means that if the survey were repeated 100 times with different random samples, the results would be the same 95 out of the 100 times. These types of random-sample surveys are very involved, time-consuming and costly, so they are not feasible for all uses, even though they produce reliable, valuable data.

For most surveys, though, individuals choose to participate in the survey on their own – by going to a website or attending a meeting, for example – rather than being selected to participate through a random sample. This means that the results of the survey are not representative of the total population, but they can be valuable and useful for many specific purposes, especially if a large number of individuals participate.

Here is an overview of some recent Virginia Beach surveys and how the results were used.

Virginia Beach Resident Survey, other random-sample surveys

Every few years, the City conducts a survey of residents’ satisfaction with the delivery of City services and their priorities for the City. The most recent survey was conducted in winter 2022, and next one is being planned.

In 2022, the City contracted with ETC Institute, one of the nation's leading firms in local government research, to administer the survey to a random sample of Virginia Beach residents. The responses from 1,205 households were accurate to plus or minus 2.8% at the 95% confidence level. This means that if the survey were repeated 100 times with different random samples, results would match the actual results to within 2.8 percentage points 95 out of the 100 times.

The survey included some standardized questions, so that Virginia Beach responses could be compared to other cities nationwide, as well as some questions specific to the City. Among the major findings of the survey was that Virginia Beach residents perceive the quality of life in the city very positively and far above the national average, across multiple categories. Respondents were able to rank City services by importance, which allows City leaders to use the results to prioritize resources, based on resident needs and interests.

Read the executive summary of the 2022 Resident Survey results.

Another recent statistically valid survey conducted by the City was the 2023 Local Election District survey. The City contracted the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service to conduct a random-sample survey of residents’ voting experiences and preferences on the City’s election system. The random-sample survey results were combined with a SpeakUpVB.com survey and community listening sessions. A total of 623 Virginia Beach residents completed the random-sample survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.3% at the 95% confidence level.

Also in 2023, the City contracted with ETC Institute to conduct a random-sample survey of Virginia Beach households on funding and ownership models for the Virginia Aquarium. A total of 507 residents completed the survey, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4% at the 95% confidence level.

SpeakUpVB.com surveys

SpeakUpVB.com is the official public engagement portal for the City of Virginia Beach. Surveys available on the website cover a wide range of issues and may be used to educate the community on important issues and to capture the public’s opinions, suggestions and comments for City leaders to use in making decisions and setting policy. Content on the website is continually changing, because multiple surveys open and close at different times. Closed surveys remain available on the website, so that users can find results of previous surveys and information on how the results of the surveys were used. Residents who prefer to complete surveys on paper or who need help with completing online surveys may get assistance from any Virginia Beach Public Library.

While the City of Virginia Beach uses many resources to help ensure that all members of the community have an opportunity to provide input, respondents usually are not chosen by random sample for SpeakUpVB.com surveys. This means that the results are not representative of the total population, but they are appreciated and valued.

Visit SpeakUpVB.com to create a profile, complete open surveys and see the results of previous ones.

Other surveys

Other City departments may conduct surveys as part of specific projects. A survey of this type was the recently closed 2040 Comprehensive Plan Survey. These generally are not random-sample surveys, although some could be. Those that are random-sample surveys will list a margin of error and confidence level for the results.

To be notified of open surveys and other public input opportunities, sign up for the City’s Be in the Know email newsletter.

If you have questions about public engagement, please email Speakup@vbgov.com or call Nancy Bloom, public engagement manager, at 757-385-6279.

The Public Engagement unit in the Communications Office creates opportunities for all residents to share their input; reaches out to stakeholders to ensure that all segments of the population are heard; and gathers, analyzes and provides community input for City leaders.