One of the principal ingredients of democracy is trust, something that is declining at the national level, but relatively healthy at the local level. At the same time, trust in local government varies by community, types of residents and government function, which is why we work every day to help build stronger relationships among residents and local government. Read more.

Informing & Empowering

Voters in 2024

Replacing Microphones with Deliberation 

Strategic Community Outreach & Engagement

It’s an understatement to say it’s important for everyone to vote in this year’s presidential election. The good news is that there are hundreds of organizations working to promote the vote, applying lessons learned from past elections and successes. Taking this imperative a step further, other organizations are centering the voter experience by giving practical and tailored information to empower voters to cast their vote with more assurance.

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In many places official public meetings are reaching a crisis point because meeting formats are fodder for problematic exchanges between the public and elected officials. We need to think about how democratic innovations can recreate the spirit of the exchanges that official meetings are meant to constructively serve in a healthy democracy. One solution is to experiment with new conversational formats that replace microphones with deliberation. Read more.

Recently, the League assisted the City of Grand Rapids, MI in a series of community outreach efforts. Senior fellow Angela Lawson brought her expertise along with League staff to facilitate community conversations surrounding public safety with three underserved populations. Our approach involved a strategic planning process, which encompassed extensive engagement with city and community leaders, culminating in a series of four targeted meetings. Read more.

2024 Brings Added Membership Benefits

Knowledge Pays: Compete in a Daily Civic Quiz

Nominate your Favorite Local Civic Champion

The League is enhancing our membership benefits to better meet the needs of our community. From publications and online databases to tailored consultations and exclusive events, membership has always included valuable tools and connections to those passionate about civic engagement. In 2024, we're excited to introduce additional benefits designed to enrich the membership experience. Read more.

Unlock your civic knowledge for a chance to win a $200 gift card! Join the ActiVote Civics Challenge and test your way to some easy cash! Questions might include: What's the legal voting age? When is Constitution Day? How many representatives are in the House? The top quiz-taker will be announced on the first day of All-America City Award Event and awarded a gift card for their participation! Participate here.

Recognize community leaders with the League's All-America Leader Award! This award celebrates the work of civically engaged community members. Winners will be showcased on our website and newsletter and invited to receive their award at the All-America City Award event in Denver this June. Nominate someone exemplifying impact, inclusiveness, innovation, collaboration, equity, and civic engagement by April 1, 2024!