Existing measures of civic engagement have centered on individual behavior and activity. A more useful way to understand civic engagement in a community context is by considering individual engagement as well as the extent to which communities can organize themselves to access resources and secure the services needed by their residents.
At a meeting of lawmakers from around the world, participants shared findings and stories from their work to engage community members in more productive, civil, and meaningful ways.
The League produced a workshop for the ASPA annual conference last month about threats to local democracy, many of which have filtered down to the local level as a result of national and state partisanship. While many communities are experiencing challenges to local civility, autonomy and work on equity, there are many examples of innovation…
In a post-pandemic era, we are highlighting some outcomes of local democracy reform efforts approved by voters from across the country. From the Pacific Northwest to the Mountain Plains, local voters considered and approved major reforms, while in the upper Midwest, measures reforming local governance systems passed by voters in 2021, are being implemented. What…
The youth vote had a big impact on last month’s elections, turning out where it counted to shape the balance of power in Washington and abortion rights. The youth turnout in the midterm elections continued a 25-year trend of steadily rising youth voting, which has helped to increase overall turnout during this period. CIRCLE, a…
A common lament among civic leaders is the low level of participation in public matters by young people. Indeed, voting turnout among people 18-24 is lower than other age groups. The problem, as described in a recent report, is that we’re using the wrong measures. In fact, young people are quite engaged, and want to…
The latest edition of the model city charter continues the National Civic League’s tradition of promoting ethical, efficient governance, but also includes some changes intended to sharpen its focus on public engagement and social equity.
To Murray Seasongood, increasing voter turnout was just the first step toward good governance. As a former mayor of Cincinnati, Seasongood was a staunch supporter of civic engagement and professional local governance and felt so strongly about these issues that he and his wife, Agnes, started a foundation to create lasting change. For years, voting…
The false belief in racial and ethnic hierarchy has been infused throughout the U.S. legal system and operates through laws, public policies, and accompanying practices and norms. Whether deliberately or unintentionally, laws and policies have enabled, sustained, and exacerbated unequal treatment of people of color.
