Quiz: What Kind of Democracy Builder Are You? Understanding Your Results

Discover your role in strengthening democracy and how your unique perspective shapes the movement for a more representative and responsive system.

On our website, you’ll find a quiz designed to help you explore your approach to strengthening democracy. Your responses will place you into one of several categories, each representing a distinct way people contribute to a thriving democratic system:

1. The Innovator – Pushes for bold changes to modernize democracy.

2. The Connector – Bridges divides and fosters dialogue.

3. The Includer – Prioritizes voting rights, inclusion, and equitable access.

4. The Mobilizer – Focuses on grassroots activism and civic engagement.

5. The Strategist – Advocates for systemic, long-term reforms.

6. The Guardian – Defends democratic principles as a safeguard for civil liberties.

Explore the different democracy builder types below to better understand your role—and how others contribute to the movement!

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1. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Innovator

Core Belief: Democracy must evolve to meet modern challenges.
Description: You see democracy as a work in progress, always in need of innovation and improvement. Whether it’s adopting ranked-choice voting, increasing transparency through technology, or experimenting with new forms of citizen engagement, you believe we need bold ideas to strengthen democracy. You thrive on big-picture thinking and are always on the lookout for new solutions to old problems.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Advocate for election reform (e.g., ranked-choice voting, proportional representation).
- Support civic tech solutions that enhance participation and transparency.
- Promote deliberative democracy initiatives like citizen assemblies.

Famous Innovators: James Madison, Alice Paul, Andrew Yang

2. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Connector

Core Belief: Democracy thrives when people engage across differences.
Description: You believe that bridging divides is essential to a functioning democracy. Whether it’s bringing people together across partisan lines, fostering civic conversations, or working to increase trust in democratic institutions, you see your role as a unifier who fosters dialogue and mutual understanding.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Organize community dialogues and town halls.
- Support civic education programs that encourage respectful debate.
- Advocate for policies that reduce polarization and encourage consensus-building.

Famous Connectors: Eleanor Roosevelt, Henry Clay, Joan Blades

3. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Includer

Core Belief: Democracy must ensure fairness, access, and representation.
Description: You see voting rights and accessibility as the foundation of a healthy democracy. From protecting marginalized voices to ensuring fair elections, you are passionate about eliminating barriers that prevent people from fully participating. You are committed to equity, fairness, and justice in the democratic process.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Fight against voter suppression and advocate for voting rights.
- Support efforts to reduce gerrymandering and ensure fair representation.
- Encourage reforms that increase political participation across all communities.

Famous Includers: Stacey Abrams, Thurgood Marshall, John Lewis, Willie Velasquez

4. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Mobilizer

Core Belief: Democracy is strongest when people take action.
Description: You believe in the power of grassroots movements to shape democracy. Whether through protests, voter registration drives, or direct advocacy, you see civic engagement as the key to making democracy more representative. To you, the people - not politicians - are the true driving force of democracy.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Organize voter registration and turnout efforts in your community.
- Advocate for policies that expand civic engagement.
- Support initiatives that make politics more accessible to everyday citizens.

Famous Mobilizers: Martin Luther King Jr., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cesar Chavez

5. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Strategist

Core Belief: Democracy needs long-term structural improvements.
Description: You are focused on the big picture - not just short-term reforms, but deep, systemic change. Whether it’s updating election laws, improving political institutions, or restructuring how democracy functions, you are driven by a long-term vision for a better system. You believe real progress requires careful planning, data-driven policy, and strategic execution.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Support policy research and institutional reform.
- Advocate for constitutional and legal changes that improve democracy.
- Work with policymakers to implement reforms that stand the test of time.

Famous Strategists: Alexander Hamilton, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Teddy Roosevelt, Birch Bayh

6. Your Democracy Builder Type: The Guardian

Core Belief: Democracy exists to protect individual liberties.
Description: You see democracy as a safeguard against tyranny and an essential system for protecting civil liberties. Your priority is ensuring that government power is kept in check, that individual freedoms are respected, and that democracy remains responsive to the people - not the other way around.

How You Can Make an Impact:
- Advocate for government accountability and transparency.
- Support policies that protect free speech, privacy, and individual rights.
- Push for limited government intervention while maintaining democratic fairness.

Famous Guardians: Thomas Jefferson, Ayn Rand, Ron Paul, Grover Norquist, William F. Buckley

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No matter which democracy builder type you align with, your role is essential in strengthening our democratic system. Each approach - whether pushing for bold reforms, fostering dialogue, protecting civil liberties, or mobilizing communities - plays a crucial part in shaping a government that truly represents the people.

Want to put your values into action? Join the conversation, share your results, and explore ways to help expand democracy. And if you have ideas for strengthening our democracy, we’d love to hear them!