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You do not have to run for office to make a real difference. Here are the ways ordinary citizens can shape political outcomes.

A surprising amount of basic American civics never gets covered in school. Here is what the curriculum usually misses.

Local elections decide more about your daily life than presidential elections. Here is why most voters skip them and why that is a mistake.

Civil public disagreement was once common and is now rare. Here is what changed and what kept the format from working.

A reader forum can produce more substantive political dialogue than a cable panel. Here is why the format works and what makes it different.

A one-on-one interview produces a different kind of information than a debate or press conference. Here is what it actually shows.

Most op-eds change nothing. A handful have reshaped administrations. Here is what made the difference.

A third of Americans call themselves independents. Almost none of them vote like independents. Here is what is actually going on.

Rural and urban voters now disagree on facts as well as preferences. Here is what produces the gap and why it matters.

A few decades ago, college and non-college voters voted alike. They no longer do. Here is what that gap actually looks like — and what it changed.

Polls asking voters their top issue look authoritative and are often deceptive. Here is what the numbers actually capture.

Coverage of young voters is mostly speculation. The polling data tells a more specific story. Here is what it actually says.