Stafford County announced its third-place finish in the 2024 Digital Counties Survey for the 150,000-249,999 population category; Arlington won first place. Stafford and Arlington were the only Virginia counties in the top ten. The survey, developed by the National Association of Counties and conducted by the Center for Digital Government, recognizes counties that use technology for efficient and responsive government services.
“We are enhancing our services for residents by leveraging technology to improve government,” stated Craig Meadows, Interim Stafford County Administrator. “I take pride in the achievements of Stafford’s Information Services team and the benefits that come with it for our citizens.”
Chief Director of Information Services Andrew Spence added, “Winning ninth place last year fulfilled a goal for our County. Our new goal is to continue to enhance the interface between our community and local government through new technology. Moving up to third place shows we are moving in the right direction.”
Stafford was recognized for its improved IT strategy, governance, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery efforts. Innovations include the Ask Blu chatbot and citizen request management system, powered by ChatGPT, which assists residents via the county website, mobile app, and text messaging.
The Center for Digital Government focuses on state and local government technology policy, while the National Association of Counties advocates for county government priorities and best practices.