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.

Hand County

92 seats · 92 filled · 0 vacant

Show:

	✎▶Seat CAND	TIP Name ⊘ AMA	Next Election
▶ School (5: 5 filled, 0 vacant)
+	School Board Member	() Derek Hlavacek	Nov 3, 2026
+	School Board Member	() Jon Kahnke	Nov 3, 2026
+	School Board Member	() Scott Maag	Nov 3, 2026
+	School Board Member	() Cory Rislov	Nov 3, 2026
+	School Board Member	() Kathy Roe	Nov 3, 2026
▶ County (18: 18 filled, 0 vacant)
+	Hand County Treasurer	() Kim Fanning	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Auditor	() Doug DeBoer AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Mutual Aid	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Jim Eschenbaum AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Daniel Jensen AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Asset Management	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Employee Page	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Greg Palmer AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Annual Reports	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Richard Strasburg AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Luke Wernsmann AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County	() Shane Croeni AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County County Commissioner District 1	() Daniel Jensen	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County County Commissioner District 2	() Jim Jones	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County County Commissioner District 3	() Greg Palmer	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County County Commissioner District 4	() Jim Eschenbaum	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County County Commissioner District 5	() Luke Wernsmann	Nov 3, 2026
+	Register of Deeds	() Suzy Wernsmann	Nov 3, 2026
▶ Judicial (51: 51 filled, 0 vacant)
+	SD Fifth Judicial Circuit	() Julia Dvorak	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fifth Judicial Circuit	() Marshall Lovrien	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fifth Judicial Circuit	() Gregg Magera	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fifth Judicial Circuit	() Richard Sommers	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() Bruce Anderson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() Tami Bern	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() Cheryle Gering	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() Chris Giles	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() David Knoff	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD First Judicial Circuit	() Patrick Smith	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fourth Judicial Circuit	() Michelle Comer	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fourth Judicial Circuit	() Michael Day	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fourth Judicial Circuit	() John Fitzgerald	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Fourth Judicial Circuit	() Eric Strawn	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Douglas Barnett	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Jeffrey Clapper	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Natalie Damgaard	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Sandra Hanson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Ann Hoffman	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Robin Houwman	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Eric Johnson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Jennifer Mammenga	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Mandi Mowery	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() John Pekas	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() James Power	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Rachel Rasmussen	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Susan Sabers	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Second Judicial Circuit	() Jon Sogn	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Matthew Brown	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Jeffrey Connolly	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Joshua Hendrickson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Eric Kelderman	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Heidi Linngren	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Scott Roetzel	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Seventh Judicial Circuit	() Stacy Wickre	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Sixth Judicial Circuit	() Christina Klinger	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Sixth Judicial Circuit	() M. Mayer	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Sixth Judicial Circuit	() Margo Northrup	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Sixth Judicial Circuit	() Bobbi Rank	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() Dawn Elshere	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() Abigail Howard	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() Carmen Means	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() Patrick Pardy	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() Kent Shelton	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Third Judicial Circuit	() David Wheeler	Nov 3, 2026
+	Hand County State's Attorney	() Elton Anson AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Patricia DeVaney	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Robert Gusinsky	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Steven Jensen	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Scott Myren	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Mark Salter	Nov 3, 2026
▶ State (17: 17 filled, 0 vacant)
+	SD Governor	(R) Larry Rhoden	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Attorney General	(R) Marty Jackley	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Secretary of State	(R) Monae Johnson	Nov 3, 2026
+	South Dakota Senate District 23	(R) Mark Lapka AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	South Dakota House of Representatives District 23	(R) Spencer Gosch AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	South Dakota House of Representatives District 23	(R) Scott Moore	Nov 3, 2026
+	South Dakota House of Representatives District 23	(R) James Wangsness	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Public Utilities Commissioner	(R) Kristie Fiegen	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Public Utilities Commissioner	(R) Gary Hanson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Public Utilities Commissioner	(R) Chris Nelson	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD State Auditor	(R) Rich Sattgast	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD State Treasurer	(R) Josh Haeder	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Chief Justice	() Steven Jensen	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Patricia Devaney	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Janine Kern	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Scott Myren	Nov 3, 2026
+	SD Supreme Court Justice	() Mark Salter	Nov 3, 2026
▶ Federal (1: 1 filled, 0 vacant)
	U.S. Representative	(R) Dusty Johnson AMA	Nov 3, 2026

County Calendar

Click an official to view their profile and evidence.

Hand County, South Dakota

On Record Crossposts Socials