FAQ

What is a reimagined town hall?

Traditional town halls are important places for people to give input on a wide range of topics. Innovative, deliberative formats, however, offer an opportunity for people to learn more deeply about an issue, share perspectives, and weigh the trade-offs of different approaches, while giving concrete feedback to their elected officials.

In a reimagined town hall, constituents discuss an issue in small groups, enabling them to share experiences and understand many dimensions of a challenge. They use simple technology to vote on which questions are top of mind and quickly give their input to their member of Congress. Reimagined town halls also include the opportunity for constituents to interact face-to-face with their member of Congress, both speaking and listening with nuance and context. Each small group has a facilitator to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate.

Why use a lottery to select participants?

It takes a lot of information – facts, first-person stories, and more – to make good policy. By using a lottery to select participants, the conversation can reflect the wide variety of people who live in a particular district and bring in all kinds of perspectives. The lottery creates a snapshot of the district and ensures that the member of Congress gets a well-rounded understanding of what constituents think.

How do I register for the lottery?

When a reimagined town hall is scheduled in a congressional district, any resident of the district can register. Sign up for your representative’s e-newsletter to learn about upcoming opportunities.

What if I am not selected in the lottery but still want to give my opinion?

You can give input to your member of Congress any time by phone, email, or mail. Sign up for your Representative’s e-newsletter to be notified of other events and town halls. You can also request a meeting with your Representative – check out this handy guide.

Is this only for Congress?

Reimagined meetings are great at any level of government! We work with our colleagues at the Center for Democracy Innovation, also part of the National Civic League, to improve public meetings for cities, school boards and more. If you’re a mayor, city council member, school board member, or other public official, reach out to us at hello@ourcivicgenius.org to learn more.

What is Civic Genius?

Civic Genius is a program of the National Civic League, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization. We are working to rebuild American civic culture through everyday opportunities to learn and engage. Our focus is on deliberative public processes that create better policy and strengthen relationships between governments and the people they represent.

About the National Civic League

The mission of the National Civic League is to advance inclusive civic engagement and promote innovations in democracy to make decision-making more participatory, equitable, and effective. Founded in 1894 by Teddy Roosevelt and Louis Brandeis, the Civic League championed the democracy innovations of the early 20th Century. Today the League hosts the Center for Democracy Innovation (CDI), which works with communities across the U.S. to understand, test, and disseminate the next generation of civic innovations. The League also maintains the Model City Charter, organizes the All-America City Awards, publishes the National Civic Review, sustains the Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map, helps cities measure their civic engagement work, and supports an extensive national network of local elected, appointed, and civic leaders. More information is available on our website, at www.ncl.org.