Democracy and Debate

Publication

Fewer local leaders in Michigan feeling positive about how democracy is functioning in state, U.S.

Aug 15, 2024

Local leaders in Michigan are slightly less optimistic in their views on the health of democracy at the state and national levels, according to an ongoing survey by the University of Michigan.Although assessments of civic health at the national...

Fewer local leaders in Michigan feeling positive about how democracy is functioning in state, U.S.

CLOSUP Updates

New MPPS Policy Brief: Michigan local government leaders’ concerns about the health of democracy edge upward, including at local level

Aug 14, 2024

A new MPPS policy brief presents the views of Michigan’s local government leaders on a variety of issues across the state for their assessments of American democracy as a system of government, based on factors like free and fair elections, rule of...

News

Ford school faculty available to weigh in on 2024 elections

Jan 28, 2024

The University of Michigan has published an experts guide to the 2024 elections. Ford School faculty are available to offer insights on relevant issues impacting the elections, including the following: Economics Betsey Stevenson, professor of...

Ford school faculty available to weigh in on 2024 elections

In the Media

Ivacko reveals factors behind threats to local officials

Mar 24, 2023 Wisconsin Public Radio

Tom Ivacko, Wisconsin Public Radio: "There's been a very concerted, ongoing effort with very strong media behind it to convince people that there are enemies in the public sector, undercutting their own democracy and working against the interests of...

Ivacko on federal infrastructure dollars in Michigan

News

Ford School welcomes local and state elected officials to boost collaborative work

Feb 16, 2023

Elected officials from local, county, and state government came to the Ford School to hear about the potential for collaborations with their offices and the School’s faculty, research centers, and students. Fifteen members of the Michigan State...

Ford School welcomes local and state elected officials to boost collaborative work

State & Hill

Think local: CLOSUP checks in with local government officials

Dec 19, 2022

Democracy in the United States and across the globe has been in decline for years, as documented with rigorous tracking methodologies. Freedom House has tracked declines in civil liberties and political rights in the U.S., for example. And the...

Think local: CLOSUP checks in with local government officials

News

An assessment of Michigan's redistricting process

Dec 5, 2022

In the aftermath of the first election that used newly-drawn districts in Michigan, created by an independent citizen’s commission, the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy and the Program in Practical Policy Engagement hosted a Policy Talk to...

An assessment of Michigan's redistricting process

In the Media

CLOSUP redistricting event featured in Detroit Free Press

Dec 5, 2022 Detroit Free Press

Detroit Free Press: "'I think Michigan is going to play a very important poster child role moving forward,' said Moon Duchin, a mathematician at Tufts University who helped Michigan's commission review mapping input during the redistricting...

CLOSUP redistricting event featured in Detroit Free Press

News

The impact of Michigan’s redistricting efforts on the 2022 midterms

Nov 23, 2022

The results of the 2022 elections in Michigan were marked by a narrow Democratic sweep of all the major statewide offices and both houses of the state legislature. The election is also notable for its use of new districts that were drawn for the...

News

Michigan local leaders give high marks on the state of local democracy while federal outlook remains grim

Nov 16, 2022

Michigan local leaders are generally optimistic about how democracy is functioning in their jurisdictions, but are far less praiseworthy about the national picture, according to a new University of Michigan report. When asked to rate the...

New law on data transparency will improve governance - Leiser

News

Ford School experts available for Michigan election 2022 analysis

Nov 3, 2022

The eyes of the country are on Michigan, as voters consider ballot initiatives on whether to enshrine abortion rights into the swing state's constitution and expand opportunities to vote. The highest offices in the state are also up for grabs, with...

In the Media

Fair elections on the ballot - Ivacko

Oct 31, 2022 CBC

CBC: Tom Ivacko at the University of Michigan says the fair administration of elections is absolutely an election issue this fall. Yet it's unclear how many Americans care: Ivacko noted polls indicating that 70 per cent view democracy as under...

News

Ivacko discusses voter priorities in 2022 election

Oct 30, 2022

Ahead of the midterm election, Tom Ivacko, executive director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, joined WXYZ Detroit to discuss what's on voters' minds. "This is a very interesting election cycle. Typically, the economy is one of the...

In the Media

Ivacko breaks down Michigan Public Policy Survey for MLive

Oct 27, 2022 MLive

Tom Ivacko, MLive: "We released a report recently that found over half of Michigan local governments reporting their personnel have been harassed or abused by the public in the last few years, and much of what passes for public discourse on national...

Publication

Local government officials offer mixed reviews to Michigan's new approach to redistricting

Oct 26, 2022

Local officials in Michigan have rendered a mixed verdict on the state's new constitutionally mandated approach to redrawing electoral maps with the goal of reducing gerrymandering and promoting fairer elections. Only 24% of local officials are...

U-M survey finds early lack of awareness among local leaders with state’s new approach to redraw legislative districts

News

Michigan local government officials cite good rapport with each other and public, despite divisive discourse

Oct 13, 2022

Michigan’s local government leaders report generally good relationships among officials and residents, despite well-documented examples of coarsening discourse and antagonism in public gatherings, according to a new University of Michigan...

Challenges continue for state-local relations, according to Michigan local government leaders

News

Ivacko provides advice to local officials worried about election tampering

Oct 9, 2022 Michigan Advance

With less than a month until the 2022 election, local officials are worried about election fraud conspiracists sabotaging the election. Tom Ivacko, executive director of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, gave advice to concerned...

News

"Democracy in Crisis" series taps award-winning journalists for insights

Sep 16, 2022

U.S. democratic institutions are under attack. While law enforcement agencies and a Congressional committee still work to investigate the January 6, 2021, attacks on the Capitol, a wave of subsequent efforts have continued to seek to undermine the...

"Democracy in Crisis" series taps award-winning journalists for insights

In the Media

Macomb County government turmoil reflects statewide trend: Ivacko

Aug 30, 2022 The Detroit News

A conflict between Macomb County's executive and prosecuting attorney, from different political parties, reflects statewide trends in the deterioration of relationships between elected officials and their own confidence in Michigan's democracy,...

News

Ford School events for fall 2022 explore racial justice, international affairs, the state of democracy and more

Aug 30, 2022

The Ford School is pleased to announce an exciting lineup for the fall 2022 Policy Talks @ the Ford School series and other special public events hosted with partners from across campus. We are hosting distinguished policymakers, scholars,...

Ford School events for fall 2022 explore racial justice, international affairs, the state of democracy and more

News

CLOSUP survey looks at online government meeting quality, service disparities

May 26, 2022

More than half of Michigan's local officials say that moving government meetings online during the pandemic decreased the overall quality of such gatherings, according to a University of Michigan survey. The finding comes from the spring 2021 wave...

More than half of Michigan local governments report personnel harassed, abused for doing their jobs

In the Media

Ivacko weighs in on 2022 Secretary of State election

Feb 7, 2022 HOUR Detroit

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is preparing for the 2022 election. So far, her Republican opponents don't seem viable based on their extreme views. “If the GOP nominates QAnon conspiracy theorists, Benson will have an easier path...

News

Ivacko debates 2022 hot topics

Jan 5, 2022

Selected as a panelist for Hour Detroit's 2022 political predictions, Tom Ivacko, Executive Director of CLOSUP, weighed in on some of the most burning questions about Michigan's 2022 elections. The first question: How would Roe v. Wade, and...

News

2021: A year of public policy

Dec 16, 2021

The Ford School of Public Policy is a top-ranked public policy school dedicated to preparing diverse leaders to take on society’s most pressing challenges and make transformational discoveries through cutting-edge research. Experts from the Ford...

News

Michigan local officials’ assessments of American democracy at the state and federal levels decline sharply

Nov 29, 2021

A survey of Michigan’s local government leaders shows a sharp degradation in trust in the functioning of democracy at the state and federal levels, echoing trends seen across the country. The Spring 2021 Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS),...

Michigan local officials’ assessments of American democracy at the state and federal levels decline sharply

News

U-M expert on redistricting: The road back and ahead

Nov 16, 2021

The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) is nearing the end of its work to draft new maps in an effort to end partisan gerrymandering. The mission was straightforward—use an independent commission instead of the state...

The Next Big Thing: Redistricting In Michigan And The Role Of Communities Of Interest

News

Off the field, University of Michigan and Michigan State University work together on the big issues

Oct 28, 2021

When Michigan’s Independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (MICRC) held a public hearing recently in Grand Rapids, two students were assisting attendees with submitting citizen comments and suggestions for the Commission’s consideration. Working...

Michigan State-Michigan collaboration to measure Partisan Advantage in redistricting

News

Ivacko: Challenges abound as leaders assemble for Mackinac Policy Conference

Sep 20, 2021

Many of Michigan's business, political and academic movers and shakers are gathering this week for the annual Mackinac Policy Conference after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of last year's event. While the number of people...

Ivacko: Challenges abound as leaders assemble for Mackinac Policy Conference

News

Two-thirds of local leaders see Michigan moving in wrong direction, according to annual U-M survey

Jul 6, 2021

The combined crises of the past year have darkened the attitudes of local government leaders, according to the first results of the University of Michigan’s 2021 Michigan Public Policy Survey. Numerous challenges have dominated public policy and...

Michigan’s smaller local governments need help accessing state and federal grants

News

Chamberlin on lawmaker transparency and redistricting

Jun 13, 2021

John Chamberlin, Ford School professor emeritus of public policy and political science, says a recent controversy in Lansing calls out the need for increased transparency when it comes to lawmakers. A Michigan state representative is proposing a law...

Chamberlin on lawmaker transparency and redistricting