Here are some of the best questions for a citizen survey about local government performance, plus tips on how to craft them effectively. We use Specific to quickly build powerful surveys that dig deeper—with just a few clicks and no manual hassle.
Best open-ended questions for citizen surveys on local government performance
Open-ended questions unleash real stories and authentic experiences—they let people tell us exactly what matters. These questions shine when we want candid, unprompted feedback or want to go beyond checkboxes. With citizen satisfaction at historic lows in places like the UK and South Africa[1][2], it’s more important than ever to get to those deeper insights. Here are our top picks:
What is the most important issue facing your community right now?
In your experience, what has the local government done well in the past year?
Where do you feel the local government could make the biggest improvements?
Can you share a recent interaction you had with a local government service? How did it go?
What services or information do you wish the local government provided, but currently does not?
How confident do you feel that your concerns are heard and addressed by local officials? Why?
What would increase your trust in local government decision-making?
Are there barriers that make it difficult to access local government services or information?
How do you prefer to communicate or engage with your local government?
Is there anything else you want your local government to know or consider?
Well-phrased open questions invite citizens to describe challenges and successes in their own words, opening the door to insights that often go overlooked in structured surveys. AI-driven analysis makes sense of these complex, text-based answers in seconds—a major upgrade from the days of tedious manual review.[4]
Best single-select multiple-choice questions for citizen surveys on local government performance
Single-select multiple-choice questions are ideal when you want to quantify opinions or gently start a conversation. Some citizens might not have the time or inclination to type out a full story—choosing among clear options makes it easy for everyone to participate. Plus, you can launch the discussion with a structured prompt, then follow up for those golden details.
Question: How would you rate the overall performance of your local government in the past year?
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Question: Which local government service do you feel needs the most improvement?
Waste Management
Public Safety
Roads & Infrastructure
Recreation & Community
Other
Question: How likely are you to recommend living in your municipality to a friend or family member?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not sure
Somewhat unlikely
Very unlikely
When to follow up with "why?" We ask “why?” after a selection when we want the reasoning behind the answer. For example, if someone chooses “Dissatisfied,” a quick “Can you share more about what contributed to your dissatisfaction?” brings depth you’d otherwise miss.
When and why to add the "Other" choice? Always include “Other” when your answer list can’t account for every possibility. Follow-up questions can reveal unique concerns or emerging trends you’d never expect—these often uncover your most actionable insights.
Using NPS-style questions for citizen surveys
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a staple in business but works well for civic feedback too—giving a clear, quantitative read on how citizens perceive local government. The classic NPS question, “How likely are you to recommend X?” translates seamlessly to public sector feedback. It allows us to segment “promoters,” “passives,” and “detractors,” and, when paired with the right follow-ups, delivers powerful data for benchmarking progress over time. Generate a ready-to-use NPS survey for citizens using this link.
The power of follow-up questions
Follow-ups are the secret ingredient that make surveys conversational—not just transactional. By diving deeper based on someone’s unique answer, we capture real context and get richer, clearer data. Tools like Specific’s AI follow-up questions ask smart, relevant probes in real time, just like a skilled interviewer would.
Citizen: “I’m dissatisfied with waste management.”
AI follow-up: “Could you describe what specifically frustrates you about the waste management service?”
How many follow-ups to ask? Two to three follow-ups are usually enough to collect comprehensive feedback, without making the process feel tiresome. It’s smart to let respondents skip to the next topic once you’ve got what you need—Specific lets you set this easily.
This makes it a conversational survey—a two-way dialogue, not a static form. Respondents stay engaged, we get fuller stories, and insights are finally clear.
Text analytics with AI makes even lengthy, open-ended responses simple to handle. Thanks to powerful AI survey response analysis, you can chat with the data just like you would with a teammate—no need to slog through hundreds of sentences on your own.
AI-powered follow-up questions are a new frontier: we recommend you generate a citizen survey and watch the difference in action.
How to prompt ChatGPT or other GPTs to generate questions for citizen surveys
Want to use AI to help craft your survey questions? Start simple—then add layers of context. Here’s how we do it:
To generate a list of broad questions, try:
Suggest 10 open-ended questions for citizen survey about local government performance.
But AI gets even smarter when you provide context. For example:
I manage community engagement for a mid-size city. Our goal is to understand which local services need improvement and how we can build more trust. Suggest 10 open-ended questions for a citizen survey on local government performance.
To organize your list, use:
Look at the questions and categorize them. Output categories with the questions under them.
To go deeper on specific categories, prompt:
Generate 10 questions for categories “Transparency” and “Public Safety.”
What is a conversational survey?
Conversational surveys, especially those created with an AI survey generator, mimic the experience of chatting naturally rather than selecting static options. The process adapts in real time to every answer—making respondents feel heard rather than herded.
Here’s how conversational AI surveys stack up against traditional survey forms:
Manual Surveys | AI-Generated Conversational Surveys |
|---|---|
Rigid, pre-set questionnaire | Flexible, adapts to each response |
Low completion rates (45-50%) | High completion rates (70-80%) [3] |
Manual data analysis, slow feedback | Instant, AI-powered insights |
Impersonal, one-size-fits-all | Personal, engaging—like a human chat |
Why use AI for citizen surveys? Because it boosts engagement, delivers richer context via smart follow-ups, and delivers actionable summaries in moments. Completion rates are far higher with AI-powered surveys[3], and you’ll capture depth traditional forms just can’t reach. For an AI survey example, experience it first-hand using the Specific survey creation tools.
Specific stands apart as a trusted platform for conversational surveys—delivering a best-in-class user experience that keeps citizens involved and makes analysis a breeze. If you want to dive deeper into workflow tips or setup details, see our step-by-step guide on how to create a citizen survey about local government performance.
See this local government performance survey example now
Get powerful feedback faster and with less effort—see how conversational surveys reveal the real story. Start gathering actionable citizen insights, expand your understanding, and streamline your survey process today.