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Australia Tells America: Here's How to Fix Your Voting System

Tacey Rychter

October 22, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Australia

Australia maintains a high voter turnout by making voting both easy and mandatory. Election day is always on a Saturday, and community groups host barbeques to mark the occasion. If an eligible voter still doesn’t cast a ballot, they can face a fine of up to nearly 80 Australian dollars.

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Digital Platform Uses Peer Pressure To Motivate Young Adults To Vote In Election

Sylvie Sturm

October 21, 2018 |

Bay City News Foundation |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

VoteCrew is a digital messaging platform that brings together friends and acquaintances into online teams who pledge to vote and then are held accountable by their peers. The platform was created to increase voter turnout in people 35 and under by using peer pressure. The platform has 2,256 members in 308 teams across the country on about 30 college campuses. Preliminary results show its members voted at a higher rate than the demographic group more broadly, although it is too early to accurately evaluate its impact.

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The Central Valley's Freedom Summer of empowering youth

Jennifer McNulty

October 21, 2018 |

Bay City News Foundation |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, California

25 students from two University of California schools went home to intern in the Central Valley for 3 months where they registered high school students to vote and taught them about civic engagement. Modeled after Freedom Summer, where students registered Mississippi voters in 1964, the Central Valley Freedom Summer project sought to increase the low turnout among young voters by teaching them the importance of civic engagement. The interns faced some resistance in the county, but were able to register or pre-register over 3000 young voters and hold events to get youth engaged in their communities.

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Can a Group of Scrappy Young Activists Build Real Progressive Power in Trump Country?

Jimmy Tobias

October 18, 2018 |

The Nation (New York) |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Leaders from Lancaster Stands Up, an independent political organization, are bridging the gap between Democrats and Republicans in small, rural, conservative towns. They are building a progressive base by going back to the basics: door knocking and having conversations with voters. Their membership has grown to 800 people, and they’ve closed the gap between a progressive candidate and the Republican incumbent.

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Iowa Civility Workshop

Richard Davies Jim Meigs

October 18, 2018 |

How Do We Fix It? |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Des Moines, Iowa

At a time when American politics are more divisive and uncivil than ever before, Revive Civility Iowa and the National Institute of Civil Discourse hosted a two hour workshop to encourage civil conversation among politically opposed members of the same community. Using skill-building exercises like active listening, the workshop sought to engender tolerance in participants to reach resolutions. As one of the organizers pointed out, "The biggest mistake most of us make when we try to solve problems with others is we suggest they change their minds."

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Reprogramming power: Audrey Tang is bringing hacker culture to the state

Anoush Darabi

October 18, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Taiwan

A community of technologists called g0v has produced open-source tools and redesigns of Taiwan’s public services. In collaboration with Digital Minister Audrey Tang, the group is helping citizens and civil society groups work with the government to improve services.

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How to make prisons more humane

Dylan Matthews Byrd Pinkerton

October 17, 2018 |

Vox |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Bismarck, North Dakota

A North Dakota prison looks to Norway's prison model that focuses on prisoner rehabilitation rather than punishment. By giving offenders responsibility, private space, and access to the outside world, these prisons have found lower rates of recidivism and more success with rehabilitation.

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This Is What Democracy Looks Like

Sarah Holder

October 09, 2018 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Effective visual messaging doesn’t just make political candidates stand out, it can also entice unlikely voters to the polls. The key is to pick up on what people respond to and take risks, including by hiring design firms new to election work.

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Thousands of South Africans join GovChat

Vernon Pillay

October 04, 2018 |

IOL Business Report |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: South Africa

GovChat is the world's first platform that connects citizens with politicians via WhatsApp. It allows citizens to rate public services and report issues, submit service requests, and donate to community organizations. Thousands of people registered and began using the platform within the first 72 hours.

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"Integrity Idol"

Roxanne Patel Shepelavy

October 02, 2018 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Nepal

With support from Accountability Lab and Transparency International, seven countries have held “Integrity Idol” contests to recognize their most honest and helpful public servants. Winners have become people others want to emulate. The contests help fight corruption and inspire civic participation.

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