Arlington Named No. 1 Digital County for Third Straight Year
Published on July 11, 2024
Arlington County is proud to be recognized as the No. 1 Digital County for 2024 by the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo). This is the third consecutive year that Arlington has been named to the top spot in the nation for the 150,000-249,999-population category, a rare achievement for the awards program.
The Digital Counties Survey Award measures county governments each year on technology performance and innovation. Evaluation and rankings are done through an in-depth review of counties’ programs and plans across the nation. Top performers are recognized for their best practices in open government, transparency, public engagement, strategic planning, shared services, cybersecurity and operations.
This year marks the seventh time overall Arlington has received the number one ranking. The County’s long-term strategic planning, along with its early and responsible adoption of new technologies, has paved the way for its successful track record of implementation. Arlington continues to be recognized at the national level for its innovative technology-driven solutions that better engage users with easier and equitable access to government, as well as its role in effectively supporting and securing government operations.
"It’s an honor to be recognized for our longstanding tradition of achievement in technology, especially among the other outstanding counties this year," said Libby Garvey, Arlington County Board Chair. "This award reinforces the extensive work and thoughtful planning that goes into technology investments to make Arlington County Government more efficient, equitable and effective for our residents and businesses."
Among the notable achievements for the Department of Technology Services and its County partners for the 2024 award is its continued commitment to ADA compliance through enhanced accessibility that enables equal digital access to services for all constituents, including those with disabilities. The team also successfully implemented the County’s First Customer Relationship Manager (CRM). The centralized CRM application transforms constituent interactions by organizing and streamlining outreach efforts. The system helps to better manage communications by tracking interactions and analyzing data to enhance County services. Constituents benefit from more personalized and responsive service, leading to higher engagement and satisfaction.
More info on Arlington County, from the Government Technology News official announcement:
The county appointed a Customer Relationship Manager to oversee constituent interactions for the constituent experience/omnichannel program. For example, they implemented a unified payment system across all county departments. Arlington continues to innovate using AI and Machine Learning, for example to distinguish emergency and non-emergency public safety calls. The county furthered their cybersecurity goals with nine tabletop cyber emergency exercises involving more than 400 employees.
Arlington County will receive the Digital Counties Survey Award on July 12, 2024, at the 2024 NACo Annual Conference & Exposition in Hillsborough County, Florida.