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How to Engage in Democracy Between Elections and Be Heard

Feb 25, 2023

 

Democracy means government by the people. Governments at all levels should have processes that allow the public to participate, and public officials should consider the public’s opinions and experiential knowledge. There are various ways you can engage in democracy at the municipal level. Here are some suggestions:

Attend council and school board meetings

It may be helpful to create a group that shares the responsibility of attending meetings and reading staff reports so that you can stay informed together.

Join public engagement and consultation sessions

Watch for public notices about upcoming consultations and consider attending to learn more and share your thoughts. Respond to surveys asking for the public’s input on municipal issues and share the survey with others to help encourage participation.

Reach out to your councillor directly

You can always call, email or send a letter to your city councillor to express your thoughts on an issue of importance.

Request to speak at council

You can request the opportunity to delegate to your city council. Check your municipality’s website for information and guidelines about delegating.

Volunteer for local organizations

There are organizations in your community focused on various issues that are related to municipal democracy. Find an organization working on a topic you care about and join them. Through that organization, you can interact with public officials and lend your skills to advocacy efforts.

Join municipal committees

Municipalities often put out calls for volunteers for municipal committees. If you have experiential knowledge on a topic, this is a great way to engage in democracy. You will meet people and have more direct ways of influencing decisions.

Attend rallies and demonstrations

There’s strength in numbers. If there’s a community demonstration happening about an issue you care about, showing up is a simple way to help the cause.

For more, read the full RTOERO blog post at rtoero.ca/how-to-engage-in-democracy-between-municipal-elections.

Want to influence? Here are some tips to increase your chances of being heard

Whether you’re delegating at a city council or a school board or simply engaging in a debate around the dinner table, there are some evidence-informed ways to help you get your points across.

Find points of common ground

Before entering a situation where you know there will be an opposing view, spend some time considering what the opposing points and perspectives will be. Consider where you have common ground. If making a presentation, you can start by emphasizing common ground.

Be respectful

Be careful not to attack the person but focus on the task or challenge. Task conflict can be helpful because it’ll surface various points of view. Listen closely; there may be times you can agree—and agreeing with an argument can disarm the other side. If you can listen with an open mind, you can stay humble and hopefully help move everyone closer to a good solution.

Focus on a small number of critical points

More is not better. Pick a few solid arguments and focus on those. You can water down your best points when you start to layer on additional ideas that aren’t as strong.

Stay curious

Staying open and curious can help you respond in situations of disagreement. Think like a scientist. Use questions when you respond. Be willing to search for more information and find ways to leave both sides better off.

Back up key points with facts and stories

Do your preparation work so that you have the research and facts to back up the key arguments you’re making. Gather stories that you can offer as illustrations of the points you’re making. Stories are memorable.

These tips are adapted from the book Think Again by organizational psychologist Adam Grant.