Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • How citizens' assemblies are revitalizing democracy

    Citizens’ assemblies bring together a sample of the population that reflects the overall demographic composition. The group gathers in person or virtually, is generally compensated in some way, receives information from experts, and then deliberate together to craft policy recommendations for government officials. Several countries, like Ireland and France, have achieved success with this form of participatory democracy.

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  • Villagers in western Tamil Nadu dislodge polluting charcoal mills after decade-long fight to save groundwater

    After years of protesting, attending public grievance meetings, and appearing as plaintiffs in court cases, the residents of Kangeyam, India, gained enough attention to shut down the charcoal industries that were polluting the groundwater.

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  • Vote for everyone you like — Fargo tests approval voting

    Fargo adopted ‘approval voting’ where residents can vote for as many candidates as they support per race. They do not rank order their choices, but simply select as many candidates as they like essentially voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’ for each candidate. All choices on a voter’s ballot carry equal weight and vote percentages are calculated by dividing a candidate’s total votes by the total number of ballots cast. The strategy has increased the percent by which winning candidates are selected and helps candidates who in the past would have received few votes because they weren’t seen as having a chance to win.

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  • How organizers in rural North Carolina are bridging racial and class divides

    Canvassers with Down Home North Carolina approach conversations with voters not as an opportunity to promote their cause or ideology, but as a chance to learn about voters' personal experiences and how those experiences shape their approach to political issues. The strategy, called deep canvassing, is based on active listening and nonjudgmental discussion and was found in one study to be more effective than traditional canvassing in winning over rural swing voters.

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  • Virginia Tech now has a 73% student-voting rate — how can other schools follow suit?

    Virginia Tech's civic engagement program, Hokies Vote, has successfully increased its student voting rate by roughly 25 percent through educational outreach, community dialogue events, and setting up a polling place on campus.

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  • How Georgia's Latinx community is working to 'out-organize' voter suppression

    Organizers and community leaders in Georgia are pushing back against restrictive voting laws that disproportionately affect communities of color. The Latinx community is mobilizing against those efforts by empowering its members to “unlock their political power.” Their efforts include voter outreach, translation services, and education.

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  • Imagine Living in a Country Where Voting Is Mandatory

    Voting in Australia became mandatory at the national level in 1924, and voter turnout has not fallen below 90% since. Voters can also cast their ballot at any polling place in their home state, with many polling places offering snacks and fundraise for local schools or churches. The atmosphere on election day, which is held on a Saturday, is festive and party-like. Mandatory voting has ensured that all groups have their voices heard.

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  • 'Deliberative town halls' encourage civil dialogue, OSU institute says

    The Institute for Democratic Engagement and Accountability's "deliberative town halls" pair willing lawmakers with a random, representative sample of constituents so voters can share feedback and ask questions without being drowned out by the loudest voices in political spaces. All participants are given the same background materials created by a nonpartisan source to inform their discussion, which means there's no squabbling over establishing basic facts, and politicians must adapt to the natural flow of conversation rather than relying on canned talking points.

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  • What Unions Are Doing to Protect American Democracy

    Unite Here, a 300,000-member labor union of hotel and restaurant workers, has organized mass protests to pass voting rights legislation. In 2020 they ran a huge door-knocking operation with 500 full-time paid canvassers. The weekly salary helped canvassers, many of whom were hotel workers that lost their jobs due to the pandemic. And the well-organized ground campaign that encouraged over 48,000 infrequent voters in Arizona to vote for Biden, likely helped push Biden to a narrow and surprising victory in that state.

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  • How the Ethical Fashion Movement Changed Policy

    Civic engagement led to the passage of a bill that empowers and protects garment workers in California. Citizens were encouraged and taught how to mobilize and participate in the democratic process which eventually led to the successful outcome.

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