Local Government
Ward Republics
As Republicans, we support life, parental choice for education, safe communities, and the end to excessive regulations. A movement so focused on Washington is less able to do these things. Pouring our time, talent, and resources into local communities provides both a level of civic engagement and civic respect. Showing up and being seen as part of our local communities will help conservative values advance a Republican Party that educates, advocates, organizes, and mobilizes for faith, family, and freedom.
The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive.
Thomas Jefferson
Ward republics are a promoted by Thomas Jefferson to place most of the functions of government in the ward, a small subdivision of a county or municipality. Jefferson thought of this concept as his favorite: “The article nearest my heart,” wrote Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval in 1816, “is the division of counties into wards”.[1] His proposal was that such wards consist of no more people than can all know one another and personally perform the functions of government for one another. Although his proposal was not generally adopted, there have been partial implementations of the idea in small townships, school districts, voting precincts, and neighborhood associations.