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Abstract

At the bedrock of our democratic society is the active participation of everyday people in shaping public affairs. Local governments seek to build inclusive and democratic processes for decision making, while at the same time being good stewards of scarce resources to efficiently address immediate needs of the community. This paper explores the role of digital engagement in balancing democracy and efficiency in public decision-making by looking at both theory and practice. Academic literature and case studies from the field show that technology and digital engagement platforms do not circumvent the risks of traditional engagement methods but provide both opportunities and challenges. The challenge of trust emerges prominently - for digital participation to function properly, individuals must trust both the political system and the digital government platforms and services. Additionally, local governments must have full capacity to manage digital engagement, starting with careful selection of the appropriate tools and setting clear objectives for how to use them. In short, technology in decision-making processes does not guarantee short-term efficiencies, but can increase capacity for responsive and inclusive community engagement processes that, when replicated over time, build trust and lead to long-term effective public service.

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