While you’d be excused for thinking that political news only happened at the state level this week, there was no shortage of other interesting political headlines. That includes Republican Sen. Ed McBroom giving an at-length speech on the dangers of...
A new study revealed that relationships amongst local government officials in Michigan, as well as between local officials and residents, have remained relatively stable despite polarizing politics at the state and national...
A new study revealed that relationships amongst local government officials in Michigan, as well as between local officials and residents, have remained relatively stable despite polarizing politics at the state and national...
Although the tone of political discourse seems increasingly hostile, a new survey from the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy suggests that things might not be as bad as they seem. The results of the Michigan Public...
A new report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is, as well as their assessments of civic relationships among elected...
They are considered “essential” to ensuring the success of elections, and yet almost a third of election workers are believed to have left their job at least in part because of fears for their safety, increased threats or...
Nearly half of top officials in local government across the state reported harassment during the last few years, a survey conducted by the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy...
Nearly half of top officials in local governments across Michigan have reported being harassed in recent years, according to a survey by the University of Michigan released ...
Delta Township Clerk Mary Clark thought it'd be a good idea to invite her community to have a conversation about how elections work. The veteran elections official wanted to walk through how voting apparatuses are operated, broadly explain security...
According to a statewide survey conducted by the University of Michigan, the majority of Michigan local governments experience some form of harassment or other abuse from the...
A new policy brief presents Michigan local government leaders’ experiences with public harassment, threats, or even violence as part of their role in local government. These findings are based on statewide surveys of local government leaders in the...
Macomb County has become embroiled in a fight between longtime county Executive Mark Hackel and new Prosecuting Attorney Peter Lucido that includes a court battle over prosecutor's office jobs and an investigation into allegations of sexual...
An unceasing stream of social media posts and statements recently from both well-known and low-profile Michigan Republicans promoting radical actions by their followers are prompting accusations of racism and violence. The rhetoric and its purveyors...
In the face of a worsening national political tone, civic discourse on the local level in Michigan remains generally positive, according to elected officials across the state. This is true concerning both interaction among elected officials, and...
A new report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is. In addition, it looks at local leaders’ assessments of...
In recent years, divisiveness within the political arena has continued to widen the chasm between Democrats and Republicans, especially at the federal level. Municipal government in Michigan has largely remained insulated from such divisiveness,...
In an opinion column for Governing, Tom Ivacko (MPP ’93), associate director of CLOSUP, breaks down the latest Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) findings on civil discourse in Michigan localities.“Will the National Partisan Breakdown Infect Our...
Ann Arbor—Michigan’s local governments report mostly positive civil discourse among their jurisdiction’s elected officials but less so among residents, according to a University of Michigan survey.Among local elected leaders, 71 percent report...
CLOSUP Lecture Series,
Conversations Across Differences
Free and open to the public – this is a virtual webinar on Zoom - please register!
Student researchers will share their research on the similarities and differences across the urban/rural continuum with respect to: the state of civic discourse; public participation in decision-making; citizen engagement; internet connectivity and access to information; and privatization of local government services.
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is, as well as their assessments of civic relationships among elected...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is among residents, between residents and elected officials, and among...
Constructive civic discourse is essential to the productivity of government at all levels. Despite its importance, polarization like that which exists in politics appears to damage constructive discourse and has brought up the question, what...
This report presents the opinions of Michigan’s local government leaders regarding the state of public discourse in their communities, including how constructive or divisive it is among citizens, between citizens and elected officials, and among the...
