Random Sampling: A New Twist on the Same Old ‘Frequent Flyer’ Problem

For years, community engagement has leaned on the same voices—those who show up regularly for surveys and public meetings. These “frequent flyers” mean well, but they’re hardly a mirror of the full diversity in our communities. Relying on these voices alone leaves us with a serious gap between who we hear from and those whose voices go unheard.

Now, there’s talk that random sampling might be the solution to this problem. But is it? I’d argue that it’s not—and might actually be a modern replication of the same issue we’ve been trying to solve.

Let’s unpack this: random sampling sounds great on paper. It’s a scientific method to get statistically valid results, so it makes sense that people would think it could bring more representative data to community engagement. But here’s the catch—random sampling still only reaches the people who are able, willing, and have the means to participate. In other words, we’re still hearing from a limited slice of the population—a new version of “frequent flyers.”

What About Equity?

Random sampling doesn’t get to the root issue of exclusion. It sidesteps the real barriers that keep many people from participating in community engagement in the first place. We might hit a statistically valid number, but that doesn’t mean we’ve connected with voices that truly represent our community. How many people have we missed because we didn’t provide real opportunities for them to join in?

We end up repeating the same pattern—relying on the people who can easily respond. Sure, the sample might seem to be “random,” but if our outreach methods don’t change, the outcomes look frustratingly similar.

A Call for Inclusive and Equitable Engagement

If we truly want to hear from everyone, we need to stop prioritizing randomness. Instead, let’s make our engagement efforts genuinely inclusive and equitable. That means broadening our approach, offering diverse ways to participate, and meeting people where they already are—whether that’s online, at in-person events, or even through one-on-one conversations in familiar community spaces.

In other words, we need to get beyond the idea that random sampling will magically solve our engagement challenges. It’s time to recognize that meaningful engagement is about creating intentional outreach that invites everyone in—especially those who’ve been on the sidelines for too long.