Local Democracy

Ballot measures, town halls, and direct participation.

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Live question · Local Democracy

3,200+

More than 3,200 local print newspapers have closed since 2005 — 130 of them in the past year — in the most content-flooded era in history.

Northwestern Medill, State of Local News ↗ · 2024 report

Where do you actually find out what's going on where you live?

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— Independent / unaffiliated— Parent— Rural

Our town of four thousand fixed its whole pothole budget faster than the county fixed one stoplight — because everyone in the room knew each other's names. It's made me wonder how much of what feels broken about politics is really just a problem of scale. What's the biggest thing you've watched a small group actually fix?

↳ start it@small_town_big_map

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— Educator— Uses AI daily— have voted for both parties

Ranked systems seem to be a real way to help independents. Since you can rank your honest first choice with a fallback, it seems to give independents a fighting chance instead of leaving us stuck in a two-party spiral. Anyone experienced the pros and cons of ranked voting and have thoughts on it?

↳ start it@Lookingup

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— Independent / unaffiliated— Parent— Small-business owner

Do you think federal ballot measures would help break Congress' logjam?

↳ start it@dazedandconfused

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