Democracy Local

Photo by Joe Mathews

COLUMN The Cat Mayor of 16th Street On Being Martyred by AI

KitKat Was Killed by a Waymo Robotaxi. But He Lives On.

Jamaima Afridi for Asia Democracy Chronicles, courtesy Asia Democracy Chronicles. (Jamaima is also that story's author)

Welcome to Democracy Local

Democracy Local Is a planetary publication and community of, for and by everyday people governing themselves. Here's a guide for how to subscribe, donate, and contribute Your stories, ideas, events, and data.

PLEASE DONATE: A Historic Democracy Opportunity for LA

A Plan to Have a Sortition-Lottery Based Assembly of Everyday Angelenos Rewrite the City Charter Lacks the...

VIDEO Democracy From the Ground Up: Participation in Big Cities

An Event, With Reports From Chennai, Bangalore, Mexico City, Lagos, Los Angeles—And the World

Image created by Joe Mathews with Google Gemini

COLUMN Dear UN, Send Election Observers to California

When international intervention is necessary in sub-national voting.

ASIA DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES A Murky Shade of Green

Geothermal ambitions clash with the indignenous peoples of an Indonesian village.

LOCAL SNAPSHOT: Mayor Luis Barcala

'We apply AI to make urban governance more people-centered'

Photo credit CC 4.0 by Tehran Picture Agency

LOCAL SNAPSHOT Mayor Alireza Zakani

'Small Steps at Local Scale Can Be a Starting Point to Huge Transformation'

Photos by Bruno Kaufmann

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS BRUNO KAUFMANN? Gothenburg

The World's Biggest Local Democracy Unit, on the Swedish West Coast

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons, Sept. 21, 2025. CC BY-SA 4.0

COLUMN Letter from 2027—How the Children's Revolt Went Global

The 'One Piece' Flag and the Kids Revolt Will Take Down Trump, and Authoritarianism

Photo by Joe Mathews

LOCAL SNAPSHOT Mayor Olena Sydorenko

'The War Has Not Stopped Openness. The War Has Made Openness Essential'

LOCAL SNAPSHOT: Mayor Joy Belmonte

'Changes Depend on the Smallest Level of Government'