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.

Smyth County

61 seats · 61 filled · 0 vacant

Show:

	✎▶Seat CAND	TIP Name ⊘ AMA	Next Election
▶ Municipal (28: 28 filled, 0 vacant)
+	Mayor	() Avery Sherwood Cornett	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member Dist CHILHOWIE	() Hunter Atwell	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member Dist CHILHOWIE	() Suzanne Carter Abramson	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member Dist CHILHOWIE	() Julie W Sturgill	Nov 2, 2027
+	Chilhowie Mayor	() Gary Heninger	Nov 2, 2027
+	Chilhowie Town Council Member - Chilhowie	() Bill Clear	Nov 2, 2027
+	Chilhowie Town Council Member - Chilhowie	() Julie Sturgill	Nov 2, 2027
+	Chilhowie Town Council Member - Chilhowie	() Pj Wolfe	Nov 2, 2027
+	Marion Mayor At Large	() Avery Cornett	Nov 2, 2027
+	Marion Town Council Member - Marion	() N Atwell	Nov 2, 2027
+	Marion Town Council Member - Marion	() James Gates	Nov 2, 2027
+	Marion Town Council Member - Marion	() R May	Nov 2, 2027
+	Saltville Mayor	() Cheri Fullen	Nov 2, 2027
+	Town of Chilhowie	() Gary Heninger	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Bill Clear	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Shannon Donnelly	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() J. Foster	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Robert Jeter	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Julie Sturgill	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() P.J. Wolfe	Nov 2, 2027
+	Town of Marion	() David Helms	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() James Barker AMA	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Larry Carter	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Avery Cornett	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() James Gates AMA	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Suzanne Jennings	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() Tricia Spencer	Nov 2, 2027
+	City Council Member	() William Weaver AMA	Nov 2, 2027
▶ School (9: 9 filled, 0 vacant)
+	School Board Member Dist PARK DISTRICT	() Joseph D Johnson	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member Dist PARK DISTRICT	() Sue Dye Tilson	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member Dist PARK DISTRICT	() Lynn M White	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	() Lynn White	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	() Sue Tilson	Nov 2, 2027
+	School Board Member	() Joseph Johnson	Nov 2, 2027
+	Smyth County School Board	() Roger Frye	Nov 2, 2027
+	Smyth County School Board	() Paul Grinstead AMA	Nov 2, 2027
+	Smyth County School Board	() Todd Williams	Nov 2, 2027
▶ County (7: 7 filled, 0 vacant)
+	County Treasurer Dist SMYTH	() Thomas Burkett II	Nov 3, 2026
+	Board of Supervisors Member	() Roscoe Call AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Board of Supervisors Member	(R) Mike Sturgill AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Board of Supervisors Member	(R) S. Widener AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	Commonwealth's Attorney Dist SMYTH COUNTY	() Phillip Blevins AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Charles Atkins	Nov 3, 2026
+	County Commissioner	() Lori Deel	Nov 3, 2026
▶ State (7: 7 filled, 0 vacant)
+	VA Governor	(D) Abigail Spanberger	Nov 2, 2027
+	VA Attorney General	(D) Jay Jones	Nov 2, 2027
+	VA Secretary of State	(D) Eddie Garcia	Nov 2, 2027
	Virginia Senate District 38	(D) Jennifer Boysko AMA	Nov 2, 2027
+	Virginia Senate District 40	(D) Barbara Favola AMA	Nov 2, 2027
	Virginia House of Delegates District 5	(D) Elizabeth Bennett-Parker AMA	Nov 2, 2027
+	Virginia House of Delegates District 6	(D) Rip Sullivan AMA	Nov 2, 2027
▶ Federal (10: 10 filled, 0 vacant)
	U.S. Representative — District 9	(R) H Griffith AMA	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) Arenda Allen	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) Rossie Alston Jr.	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) Leonie Brinkema	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) Mark Davis	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) John Gibney Jr.	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia	(N) Patricia Giles	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia	(N) Robert Ballou	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia	(N) Thomas Cullen	Nov 3, 2026
+	U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia	(N) Elizabeth Dillon	Nov 3, 2026

County Calendar

Click an official to view their profile and evidence.

Smyth County, Virginia

On Record Crossposts Socials