In this episode, we visit Petaluma, California to learn about how the city opened up the decision making process about the future of the local fairgrounds.

From news deserts to civic media

When the People Decide, a podcast from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, explores the promise — and sometimes peril — that ballot initiatives have brought to American democracy by telling the stories of people who have organized initiative campaigns across the country.

America’s founders were famously skeptical of direct democracy, citing fears of mob rule if people had too much power. Since then, however, the initiative and referendum process has emerged as one way that citizens in some states can vote directly on policy and join forces to bring issues they care about directly to their fellow voters.

When the People Decide is hosted and reported by Jenna Spinelle and produced by LWC Studios for the McCourtney Institute.