Strengthening Democracy and Civic Engagement in U.S. Cities: A Tool Kit for Local Government Leaders

In collaboration with the Local Policy Lab (LPL), this Capstone project focused on fortifying democratic engagement by concentrating on two strategic areas: 1) enhancing deliberative democracy within local governments through scholarly research and practical applications, and 2) increasing voter turnout by implementing nonpartisan engagement strategies.

The research on deliberative democracy thoroughly investigated the efficacy of deliberative polling and citizens' assemblies. The study was guided by the hypothesis that these participatory practices significantly boost citizen participation, thereby leading to governance systems that are more representative and effective. To support local elected leaders—particularly their partners in the LPL—the Capstone team developed a comprehensive toolkit that marries rigorous academic research with field-tested implementation strategies. This toolkit not only elucidates the benefits and methodologies of citizens' assemblies and deliberative polling but also aims to drive their broader adoption across the United States, ultimately enhancing the governance systems of local LPL partners.

Regarding voter turnout, the approach emphasized the use of nonpartisan voter engagement tactics to significantly improve voter education and participation before elections. A dedicated toolkit for local governments laid out a variety of strategies to communicate essential election information effectively, designed to increase voter turnout and deepen trust and confidence in local governance systems. Utilizing relevant research, this toolkit proposed numerous cost effective approaches for local governments to follow while simultaneously showing each tactics expected impact on targeted voter turnout..