Democracy, derived from the Greek words “demos” (people) and “kratos” (power), fundamentally means “rule by the people”. It’s a system of governance where citizens collectively decide on laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings of the state, either directly or through elected representatives.

Citizen Engagement  or civic participation is any individual or group activity addressing issues of public concern. Civic engagement includes communities working together or individuals working alone in both political and non-political actions to protect public values or make a change in a community. The goal of civic engagement is to address public concerns and promote the quality of the community.

• In the ‘About’ section of this post is an overview of the issues or challenges, potential solutions, and web links. Other sections have information on relevant legislation, committees, agencies, programs in addition to information on the judiciary, nonpartisan & partisan organizations, and a wikipedia entry.
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The Citizen Engagement  category has related posts on government agencies and departments and  committees and their Chairs.