What is Civic Mirror?

Civic Mirror is a civic technology platform designed to make government easier to understand, research and engage with. It brings together information about elected offices, public spending, legislation, judicial decisions and civic events into a single, searchable interface. The goal is to reduce fragmentation and help people see how public institutions function in practice, not just in theory.

What problem is Civic Mirror trying to solve?

Most public information already exists, but it is scattered across dozens of websites, written in technical language, and difficult to connect across roles, agencies and decision-making processes. Civic Mirror focuses on aggregation, context and clarity — helping users understand who is responsible for what, how decisions are made, and how those decisions connect over time.

Is Civic Mirror affiliated with a political party or campaign?

No. Civic Mirror is designed as a non-partisan platform. It does not endorse candidates, promote political parties, or tell users what positions to take. The platform is structured to present primary information and sourced material, allowing users to draw their own conclusions.

How does Civic Mirror maintain neutrality?

Neutrality is addressed structurally rather than rhetorically. The platform surfaces original sources wherever possible, clearly labels summarised content, and allows users to view information through different lenses — including progressive, conservative or just the facts. The intent is transparency about framing, not hidden editorial judgement.

What kind of information does the platform include?

Depending on availability, Civic Mirror can include: lists of elected offices at state, county and local level; role descriptions explaining what each office is responsible for; budget and spending information tied to specific offices; legislative bills with plain-language summaries; judicial rulings categorised by case type; public calendars, meetings and livestream links; and evidence panels linking officials to sourced articles, rulings or statements. All content is designed to be navigable without requiring specialist political knowledge.

How does Civic Mirror use AI?

AI is used primarily to process large volumes of public information and convert complex material — such as legislation or court rulings — into readable summaries. The underlying source material remains available, and summaries are intended as entry points, not replacements for original documents.

How can users engage with elected officials through Civic Mirror?

Where verified contact information exists, Civic Mirror allows users to send structured, one-click emails to elected officials about legislation, votes or public actions. The platform also supports pre-written question prompts to help users engage constructively, especially those new to civic participation.

Does Civic Mirror collect or sell user data?

Civic Mirror is designed to minimise data collection. User profiles exist to support engagement features, but the platform is not built around targeted advertising or data monetisation. Long-term sustainability is being approached cautiously, with an emphasis on trust and public value.

What makes Civic Mirror different from existing civic or transparency tools?

Many existing tools focus on a single dimension — voting records, legislation, budgets or elections. Civic Mirror's differentiator is connection: linking roles, decisions, money, events and outcomes so users can see how individual actions fit into a broader system. The emphasis is on continuity rather than snapshots.

Who is Civic Mirror for?

Civic Mirror is for anyone who wants a clearer, more connected understanding of how government works — whether they are voting, researching an issue, attending meetings, or simply trying to stay informed about the institutions that affect their daily lives. It is designed to be usable by people with no prior expertise, while still supporting deeper exploration for advanced users.

What is the long-term vision for Civic Mirror?

The long-term goal is to create durable civic infrastructure — what Pecenica describes as connective tissue between the public and their representatives. Rather than focusing on individual election cycles or controversies, Civic Mirror aims to support ongoing engagement, accountability and institutional memory over time.

What's next for the platform?

Planned enhancements include candidate profiles alongside existing officeholders, improved issue-based filtering (e.g. environment, education, infrastructure), deeper legislative tracking across committees and voting stages, and expanded coverage beyond Indiana. Development is iterative, with user feedback shaping priorities.

Alpena County

28 seats · 28 filled · 0 vacant

Show:

	✎▶Seat CAND	TIP Name ⊘ AMA	Next Election
▶ Municipal (1: 1 filled, 0 vacant)
+	Alpena Mayor	() Cindy Johnson	Nov 2, 2027
▶ School (7: 7 filled, 0 vacant)
+	School Board Member	(N) Sarah Costain	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Monica Dziesinski	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Sarah Fritz	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Eric Hansen	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Eric Lawson	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Andrew MacArthur	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	(N) Anna Meinhardt	Nov 2, 2027
▶ County (5: 5 filled, 0 vacant)
+	Judge of Probate	(N) Alan M Curtis	Nov 3, 2026
+	Alpena County	() Kari Bertrand AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Drain Commissioner	() Steve Kaufman	Nov 3, 2026
+	Register of Deeds	() Melissa Ziesmer	Nov 3, 2026
+	Sheriff, n/a	() Erik Smith	Nov 3, 2026
▶ State (5: 5 filled, 0 vacant)
+	MI Governor	(D) Gretchen Whitmer	Nov 3, 2026
+	MI Attorney General	(D) Dana Nessel	Nov 3, 2026
	MI Secretary of State	(D) Jocelyn Benson	Nov 3, 2026
+	Michigan Senate District 36	(R) Michele Hoitenga AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Michigan House of Representatives District 106	(R) Cam Cavitt AMA	Nov 3, 2026
▶ Federal (10: 10 filled, 0 vacant)
	U.S. Representative — District 1	(R) Jack Bergman AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Frances Behm	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Terrence Berg	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Paul Borman	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Robert Cleland	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Susan DeClercq	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Gershwin Drain	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Nancy Edmunds	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan	(N) Bernard Friedman	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan	(N) Jane Beckering	Nov 3, 2026

County Calendar

Click an official to view their profile and evidence.

Alpena County, Michigan

On Record Crossposts Socials