Electronic Town Meetings

Summary

Electronic Town Meetings are community meetings that allow people to participate via digital technology. Whether virtual meetings with remote participants, or in-person meetings aided by technology, these meetings offer new ways of engaging people.

Tool Description

An Electronic Town Meeting (ETM) can be defined in two ways—

  1. as a virtual meeting that is broadcast over TV and/or Internet into dispersed homes, or
  2. a meeting that occurs in person, aided by electronic tools. 

Actual town meetings have long been taped and replayed on local access television statements for citizens to watch, but new advances today can allow communities to broadcast meetings live on TV, radio, and the Internet, with options for citizens to vote online on important questions or call in with comments. 

Digital and electronic technology for use in live meetings—may include keypad polling, wikis, and other web meeting technology.

Virtual ETM tools are typically used to engage citizens who cannot attend actual public meetings, often because the geographic region is very large or because the timing of meetings does not fit well with citizens’ schedules.  Electronic tools for use in actual meetings serve a different purpose—primarily increasing the efficiency of data collection and ensuring that all voices are represented equally.

Summary of Costs

$100-999
Associated Costs
  • Acquisition
  • Additional Supplies
  • Facilitation
  • Operation
  • Technical Assistance
  • Training

Strengths

  • Broadcast electronic town meetings help to reduce the cost of time, effort, and transportation involved in participating in town meetings.
  • As the Internet becomes faster and more accessible, electronic town meetings may be a more efficient and cost-effective way for citizens to participate than face-to-face gatherings.
  • In-person ETM help ensure that the loudest voices don't dominate the conversation.

Limitations

  • Some people feel that these tools reduce the personal nature and communication that have been lauded at town meetings.
  • Most ETM technologies are expensive and complicated to set up, and require either training, consultants, or hired staff to run.
Submitted By: svannostrand
Last Updated: August 15, 2012, 3:00 pm

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