Why You Should Show Up

Attending Meetings

at City Hall can make a difference

Miami has some of the lowest levels of non-electoral political participation in the nation.[1]

In fact, Miamians attend public meetings and contact or visit elected officials far less frequently than residents in other metro areas according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey.[2] In Miami, only 3.1% of residents have ever attended a public meeting. Compare that number to Jacksonville, another Florida city, where 9.5% of residents have attended a public meeting.

There are various possible reasons for Miami’s comparatively low levels of participation, including population turnover, relatively young civil institutions, balkanized governance structure, and deep social fragmentation.[3]

But, no matter the reason behind Miami’s low levels of engagement, anyone who does attend a public meeting is able stand out and really make a difference.

Sometimes it only takes 3 people with good arguments to improve local policies. Check back here for tips and best practices in public comment.

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Footnotes

[1]National Conference on Citizenship, A Tale of Two Cities: 2010 Civic Health in Miami and Minneapolis-Saint Paul, 2011. 

[2]Lou Frey Institute, Florida Civic Health, 2017.

[3]Jan Nijman, Miami: Mistress of the Americas, 2011. 

[4]Mike Maciag, “The Citizens Most Vocal in Local Government,” Governing,7/2014.