Improving Access to Townhall Meetings

Improving access to decision makers may empower citizens in participating in government decisions. Ordinarily, a resident would have to take active steps, such as attending townhall meetings, to voice issues on top of their regular roles in their community. Townhall meetings occur in particular locations, at specific times, and are only accessible to a select few, with the result that anyone who is unable to attend townhall is unable to voice their concerns. As a result, the townhall may be a misrepresentation of the residents in the municipality.

Improving access to townhall meetings is one way that smart cities can boost civic engagement. While physical attendance may not be possible, smart city tools may allow virtual participation to balance out representation in townhall.

Technologies

• Recording in-person meetings. Audio or video recordings may be hosted on the municipality’s website so residents who cannot attend in-person town halls may still be appraised of issues and discussions.

• Soliciting Agendas Online. Allowing for community input into town hall agendas before they are held ensures that they address topical subjects relevant to community interests.

• Livestreaming meetings with live chat. Members who are unable to commute to meetings can participate in townhall activities through virtual participation. Text-based input may be advisable to prevent issues of latency – in-person representatives may monitor chats to ensure questions are answered and issues are raised.

• Mobile kiosks. Placing townhall kiosks in areas with lower resident participation may provide unrepresented residents with an opportunity to voice their concerns.

• Social media outreach. A large number of municipal residents already engage with social media on a regular basis. Hosting town hall discussions on social media apps can allow for greater participation in municipal decisions from demographics such as young adults.

Managing Liabilities

Privacy
Issues.
⚠️ When participating in townhall meetings, it is essential to identify the resident as well as their opinion. However, this can create difficulties for residents who wish to remain anonymous. On the other hand, anonymous comments prevent verification of resident status.
Managing Issues.
✅ De-identify at the source. Many tools allow for engagement without collecting personal information. Doing so at the source helps prevent privacy issues from cropping up later.
✅ De-identify as soon as possible. If personal information absolutely must be collected, it should be stripped away as soon as possible. While the municipality may require identifying information to verify resident status, residents should still be able to post questions anonymously.

Disproportionate Representation
Issues.
⚠️ Selecting a time for everyone to participate in townhall as well as unreliable access to internet can create disproportionate representation during townhall meetings.
Managing Issues.
✅ Free municipal WIFI will assist individuals lacking access to reliable internet.
✅ Holding virtual office hours. Residents unable to attend townhall meetings may participate during office hours so their voices are taken into account.