Introducing ‘The Democracy Solutions Project’
Ahead of the 2024 election, WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times are launching a new series examining how we can strengthen American democracy.

A partnership between the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government and Chicago Public Media, this multi-part, multimedia series will take a solutions-oriented approach to reporting on the critical issues facing American democracy today. Through stories, listening experiences, opinion pieces and news from the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ, we’ll examine the current threats to our democracy, including barriers to voting, cynicism, misinformation, polarization and much more.
Ahead of the 2024 election, WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times are launching a new series examining how we can strengthen American democracy.
A series of key decisions lay ahead before Chicago voters begin the transition to an elected school board in November 2024.
So-called participatory budgeting, in which residents vote on spending projects in their wards, started in the U.S. in Chicago, but its growth has stalled.
It started in the U.S. in Chicago as a way to connect residents to government and how tax dollars are spent.
A new initiative, The Democracy Solutions Project, digs into big themes and questions surrounding democracy in the United States.
The Supreme Court is in the news a lot – for decisions made inside the court and out. How did it get so much power and who’s pushing back?
A year after Roe v. Wade fell, Illinois Democrat and GOP lawmakers fight for legislation.
Even in states that allow abortion if the life of the mother is in danger, doctors say fear of prosecution is leading many to send high-risk patients to Illinois.
In Illinois, about 8 percent of the population doesn’t speak English very well. And that means, for many immigrant communities in the state and region, language is a barrier to accessing and …
Juan González is a senior fellow at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. He says U.S. foreign policy is key to understanding why migrants flee to the city.
Though the state has anti-censorship protections, residents should remain vigilant and vocal about their support for keeping library books on shelves.
Some say what the council needs is a parliamentarian, a robust budget office and some legal counsel. Others say the city needs a new constitution for true reform.
It started in the U.S. in Chicago as a way to connect residents to government and how tax dollars are spent.
So-called participatory budgeting, in which residents vote on spending projects in their wards, started in the U.S. in Chicago, but its growth has stalled.
In Illinois, 8% of the population doesn’t speak English very well, and that’s a barrier for immigrants participating in civic life.
We sent reporters into one community to understand what’s at stake — and found a fabric of everyday Chicagoans helping migrants build new lives.
Immigration is baked into our very foundation here in America – and it’s not just the U.S. born citizens who have kept this country going.
Even in states that allow abortion if the life of the mother is in danger, doctors say fear of prosecution is leading many to send high-risk patients to Illinois.
The Supreme Court is in the news a lot – for decisions made inside the court and out. How did it get so much power and who’s pushing back?