The Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) undertake a Digital Counties Survey each winter, and the awards are granted in July.

Every county government in the US is encouraged to participate in this survey, which assesses their overall technology initiatives and plans.

The first place is given to the counties with the most innovative policies and programs in a certain population category. 

Those that have implemented these plans have shown significant increases in revenue, job growth, education levels, and overall faster digitalization.

This year’s winners have leveraged the challenges since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as opportunities to learn, invest, and connect.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the winners of Digital Counties 2022 and discuss how their successes have helped their citizens.

Using new strategies for digital services to move toward the future

As we move further into the digital age, counties need to stay ahead of the curve regarding cybersecurity, workforce development, and digital services. 

That’s why the Center for Digital Government is recognizing counties leading the way in these areas with its Digital Counties Survey. 

All the counties you will see in this article have made great strides in 

• delivering key services
• breaking down barriers to broadband connectivity and accessibility
• building upon innovative and smart initiatives 

And all these efforts enable the government to better plan for and protect their citizens, constituents, and assets.

The first place winners for 2022 for their category

Nevada County in California for the 150’000 population category

For Nevada County, technology innovations range from security to digital equity. 

To improve connectivity and collaboration, the county is working to position itself as a desirable place for Internet Service Providers to invest in. 

Moreover, one of the county’s top objectives is preparedness and responding quickly to wildfires. 

That’s why they are using machine learning platforms for evacuation planning, redundant telecommunications, and cloud-to-cloud storage for disaster recovery and backup.

Cybersecurity has been important for this county too. 

An example is a countywide cybersecurity IT risk assessment, which involved interviewing county stakeholders. 

Arlington County in Virginia, for the up to 249’999 population

Arlington County has been moving from a model of building to a model of buying.

It has created a cloud-smart strategy and relies more heavily on partners to enable the county to move forward quickly and keep up with the technological advances. 

The results have been immediate.

An application developed with Arlington Economic Development provided $2 million in funds to different businesses and nonprofits. 

Additionally, using AI for cybersecurity has enabled the staff to shift significantly to strategic defensive activities, thus improving the county’s security risk posture.

Placer County in California for the up to 499’999 population category

Placer County has centered its technology advancements during the past year around crisis response.

But now, the government has shifted from response and recovery to resilience against future crises.

One of the most significant developments in this area is Ready Placer, a county website that features essential information about disaster events (like wildfires.)

Its GIS (geographic information system) dashboard provides real-time information about current incidents and conditions. 

On a side note, the County Broadband Equity Program awarded $500,000 in a bid to expand broadband access to underserved rural areas. 

Prince George’s County in Maryland, for the up to 999’999 population category

A big theme in this county’s work is connectivity. 

The connected infrastructure uses IOT-related tech such as sensors and intelligent systems for traffic, connected vehicles, and smart bus shelters. 

Its Vehicles-to-Infrastructure project extended the county-owned fiber optic cable to traffic signals. 

Additionally, in digital equity work, Prince George’s county has taken a collaborative approach with all municipalities that are part of the county’s footprint. 

Through collaboration, different broadband expansion projects can target underserved communities.

King County, in Washington, for the above 1 million population category

For the second year straight, King County has won first place in the largest population category. 

This achievement can be credited to its ability to center the technology work around the idea of connection. 

The county has enabled enrollment for reduced-fare bus passes, allowed citizens to obtain protection orders online, and outreach to increase enrollment in subsidized Internet programs. 

Results include implementing the county’s first modern translation management platform and using “King County Connect,” — a mobile app for increased services and feedback in several languages.

Conclusion

As the world progresses, so too must our methods of government. 

The digital age has brought with it a new set of challenges, and it is clear that our current systems are not equipped to handle them. 

This is why the Center for Digital Government (CDG) and the National Association of Counties (NACo) honor counties that show innovation in their approach to digitalization. 

All the winners have proven they leverage the best technology practices to streamline the delivery of government services, encourage collaboration, enhance cybersecurity and apply innovative and emerging technologies to county priorities.

Source:

https://www.govtech.com/digital-counties-survey-2022-results