Mary Tintes, LWVND, vice president, Fargo

The League of Women Voters of North Dakota commends Representative Julie Fedorchak for holding virtual town halls. They are an important tool in keeping constituents informed and engaged.

Virtual town halls are a good start, but not enough. Holding virtual versus in-person town halls shouldn’t be an either/or but a “yes, and.” Both should be employed so our representatives can hear directly from North Dakotans about their concerns and to reach a wide audience across the state.

Town halls aren’t just about constituents hearing from their representatives. In-person town halls are an opportunity for elected officials to listen to their constituents, for journalists to learn more about community issues and for communities to gather, engage with each other, and build civic understanding. That kind of connection, where people can gauge community sentiment and share stories face-to-face, cannot be fully replicated online. Public in-person forums are essential for an accountable, responsive democracy.

That’s why the League of Women Voters of North Dakota is calling on our members of Congress to hold in-person town halls. These forums are especially critical right now when a major budget bill is moving through Congress and recent federal actions — such as the cuts to AmeriCorps, USDA, and HHS — are impacting North Dakotans.

To the people of North Dakota, we ask you to join us in urging our elected representatives to hold in-person forums. Call their offices, send letters or sign our petition.