Survey: Immigration ranks first in survey of constituents' concerns

Constituents contacted their representatives more frequently about immigration than any other issue during May, a new survey found. 

Defense ranked second after holding the top spot in April. Next were environment, financial services, budget and Medicare. Technology ranked ninth, edging out Social Security.

The "Congressional Conversation Index" collects and averages data from House offices (three offices currently participate on a voluntary basis) about which issues constituents sound off on the most.

It was built by the software provider Fireside21, which was founded by former congressional staffers and the public relations firm Adfero Group.

The index tallies and averages how many contacts the offices have made on each issue. Contacts include letters, phone calls, emails and in-person meetings. They survey began in January.

The data can be a meaningful gauge of what's on peoples' minds, according to Jeff Mascott, a managing partner at Adfero Group. For instance, environmental issues rose from the seventh spot to the third spot in May, possibly corresponding with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Meanwhile, health dropped from the top position in March to eighth last month, corresponding with the debate over healthcare legislation.

A caveat: Interest groups often inundate offices with contacts when they want to boost attention on an issue, potentially skewing the numbers.

Ken Ward, the head of Fireside21, noted that data on constituent contacts have not previously been made public. Additional congressional offices are being sought to participate.

Find the full results here: http://www.kstreetcafe.com/cci