Deliberating Democracy in California

In the wake of seismic shocks from national democratic elections in the United States, it can be easy to overlook the nature and quality of democracy in the American states. This would be a mistake, especially when it comes to California, a subnational unit with outsized influence both nationally and internationally. What one finds in this state, though, is a democracy that is complex, home to both important innovations in public participation as well as some areas of democratic practice that may need reform.