Explainer Article: Community Voting on AUZ.life – From Petitions to Public Budgets

AUZ.life enables real-time, transparent community decision-making—giving every resident a voice in shaping their shared future.

What Is Community Voting on AUZ.life?

Community voting on AUZ.life is a digital civic tool that allows local residents to propose, discuss, and vote on decisions that affect their community. From public space improvements to cooperative project funding, it puts power back into the hands of those who live the outcomes.

Whether it’s approving a new tool library, choosing a location for a shared garden, or allocating a portion of a community budget, the platform ensures that everyone has a say—and every vote counts.

Why It Matters

In many cities and communities, civic participation is either inaccessible or symbolic. Public meetings are poorly attended, decisions feel top-down, and trust in institutions continues to erode.

AUZ.life solves this by creating a transparent, accountable, and inclusive decision-making space where:

• Residents vote directly on local issues

• Cooperatives self-govern through structured input

• Communities co-create the rules that govern shared life

It’s not just participation—it’s co-ownership.

How It Works

With a Virtual Resident Card, users can:

1. Join local groups connected to their cooperative, neighborhood, or initiative

2. Submit or support proposals (e.g. “Install bike racks in the square”)

3. Vote through ranked choice, upvotes, consensus, or custom frameworks

4. See transparent outcomes once votes close

Votes can be open or limited to verified participants depending on the decision’s scope.

For example:

• A housing co-op might vote on maintenance priorities

• A city group could allocate participatory budget funds

• A farmers’ network might approve seasonal collaboration terms

Benefits of AUZ.life Voting Tools

• Real-time transparency: Everyone can track the status and impact of decisions.

• Customizable rules: Each group or community defines their own voting thresholds and decision frameworks.

• Inclusive access: Mobile-first, multilingual, and designed for all levels of digital experience.

• Linked systems: Voting can tie into budgets, loyalty rewards, or shared responsibilities.

It’s governance at the speed of trust.

Where It’s Working

In Warsaw, AUZ.life’s voting features are already being used by:

• Public service providers engaging residents on park redesigns

• Cooperative housing boards managing shared resources

• Hybrid food markets polling users on opening hours and pricing policies

And across regional cities in Poland, participatory budgeting pilots powered by AUZ.life are giving residents control over environmental, youth, and cultural investments.

How to Start Voting

1. Register your Virtual Resident Card

2. Join or create a group within your local AUZ.life network

3. Participate in open votes or launch your own proposals

4. Review results and stay engaged as projects evolve

Groups and institutions can also onboard community members through guided facilitation and voting toolkits.

Designing the Future Together

When communities can vote—not just be consulted—they gain agency, trust, and resilience. They become the architects of their own future, guided by what matters locally.

Explore more about community governance tools in AUZ.life’s technology toolbox, or see how democratic infrastructure evolved in From PLZ to AUZ.life.

Because real democracy isn’t an event—it’s a practice. And AUZ.life makes it possible every day.