Re:Public is the civic tech platform revolutionizing local engagement. Instantly find and contact your elected officials, share community stories, and hold leaders accountable—all in one place. Democracy just got personal.
In an age where civic engagement often feels like a distant ideal, a new Florida-based platform is bringing government back to the people—literally. Re:Public, a grassroots-driven civic tech startup, is making it radically simple for residents to locate, contact, and hold their elected officials accountable. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or a first-time voter, Re:Public is designed to put political power back in your hands.
What Is Re:Public?
Re:Public is a free, user-friendly platform that allows Florida residents to:
- Instantly identify every elected official in their town, county, and state
- Contact those officials directly via phone or email
- Read and post articles about local issues
- Upload videos and create polls
- Attend and promote community events
- Tag elected officials in posts to hold them publicly accountable
It’s a one-stop civic engagement hub designed to bridge the gap between citizens and government—without the noise of national politics or the gatekeeping of traditional media.
As Editor ofStyleLujo.com, I curated this feature with the intention of breaking down the Re:Public platform in a way that is both accessible and intellectually engaging. While my initial motivation was to better understand the mechanics of the service myself, I quickly realized that its layered functionality and civic potential warranted a deeper editorial exploration. By dissecting each component—from geo-targeted access to contributor-driven accountability—I aimed to offer readers a clear and comprehensive portrait of a platform that is quietly redefining how citizens interact with their local government.
More than just a tech innovation, Re:Public represents a forward-thinking strategy that could play an integral role in shaping the future of politics and governance. In an age where transparency and direct communication are paramount, this platform offers a blueprint for civic engagement that is both modern and meaningful. My hope is that this editorial not only informs but inspires—encouraging readers to consider how tools like Re:Public can empower communities, elevate grassroots voices, and ultimately strengthen the democratic process from the ground up.
How It Works: A Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. Location-Based Access Upon visiting www.republic.us, users are prompted to enter their town and state. This geo-targeting feature ensures that the platform delivers hyper-local information tailored to your community.
2. “My Representatives” Tab This is the heart of the platform. With one click, users can view a complete list of their elected officials—from federal to local levels. For more precise results (like school board or congressional districts), users can enter their home address. Importantly, Re:Public does not collect or sell user data.
3. Direct Contact Tools Every official has a profile page with contact information, role, and photo. Free users can call or email their representatives directly from the platform. Contributors (paid subscribers) can tag officials in articles and videos, creating a public record of accountability.
4. Contributor Features Subscribers gain access to powerful tools:
- Post articles about local issues
- Upload videos from phone or desktop
- Create and share polls
- Promote or create community events
These features allow citizens to become local journalists, organizers, and watchdogs—all within one ecosystem.
5. Accountability in Action When an official is tagged in a post, it appears on their profile page. This means anyone in the community can see which issues are being raised and how the official responds. It’s a transparent feedback loop that encourages responsiveness and discourages neglect.
Why It Matters
As Vince Cvijanovic will explain in our interview, the loss of over 3,200 local newspapers since 2005 has left a vacuum in community reporting. Re:Public aims to fill that void—not with punditry, but with citizen-driven content. The platform is built on the belief that informed communities are empowered communities.
What’s Next?
Though currently focused on Florida, Re:Public has national ambitions. The team is testing marketing strategies locally before expanding across the U.S. The goal? A nationwide network of engaged citizens who can bypass political gatekeepers and speak directly to their leaders.
Cvijanovic also hinted at future plans to support small businesses through the platform—further embedding Re:Public into the fabric of local communities.
Exclusive Interview with Vince Cvijanovic, Co-Founder of Re:Public – By Joseph DeAcetis for StyleLujo.com
In an era where civic engagement is more vital than ever, Re:Public is emerging as a transformative force in Florida’s local political landscape. In this exclusive interview, readers will gain insight into how the platform is revolutionizing access to elected officials, empowering citizens to hold leaders accountable, and fostering meaningful participation in community affairs. Vince Cvijanovic, co-founder of Re:Public, shares the vision behind the platform, its early impact, and how technology is reshaping the relationship between citizens and government. From accessibility and accountability to future expansion and grassroots empowerment, this conversation offers a heartfelt and inspiring look at the future of civic tech.
Joseph DeAcetis: Vince, thank you for joining us. Re:Public is doing something truly transformative in Florida. To begin, what inspired your team to create a platform that connects citizens directly with every elected official in their town and county?
Vince Cvijanovic: We believe that citizen participation in local affairs is hampered by a lack of ability to get information about local issues and events. Information about elections and issues related to specific elected officials is disjointed and hard to find, and that makes it very difficult to hold elected officials accountable. We believe that Re:Public can address these concerns better than any currently available platform.
Joseph DeAcetis: Accessibility is a cornerstone of your mission. How does Re:Public simplify the process of locating and contacting local leaders—especially for those who may not be tech-savvy?
Vince Cvijanovic: Re:Public is a free platform for reading articles, watching videos, and getting information on upcoming events such as elections and learning who your elected representatives are and how to contact them. When you visit Re:Public (www.republic.us), we ask (via pop-up) your location (town & state). Then you click on the very prominent “My Representatives” tab to see who your elected officials are for federal, state, and local offices. Information on your Congressperson or school board requires that you enter your home address so that we can be sure to point you to the correct elected representatives. We use the information you provide for this purpose only. We do not collect user data and we do not sell user data.
Joseph DeAcetis: In a time when civic engagement is more critical than ever, how does Re:Public inspire everyday citizens to actively participate in local government?
Vince Cvijanovic: Free users participate by using the “My Representatives” tab to locate and communicate with elected officials by calling or emailing them. They can also read articles written by contributors, which are tagged to specific elected officials and appear on their profile pages. Users can attend local events posted by contributors—such as meet-and-greets, town halls, or activist-led gatherings—to learn more about local issues from their neighbors.
Contributors (subscribers to Re:Public) can post articles about issues they feel the community needs to be aware of, share information about local events, upload videos directly from their phone or PC, and create polls to gauge community interest in particular topics.
Joseph DeAcetis: Accountability is a pillar of democracy. Can you elaborate on how Re:Public empowers users to hold elected officials accountable with just a single message?
Vince Cvijanovic: Every elected official automatically gets a profile page listing their contact information, governmental role, and photo (if available). Free users can use this easy access to call or email the official. Contributors can write articles and upload videos about local issues and tag the elected official(s) who are accountable. Then all users in the area can read about what the official has been tagged in to better hold them accountable. Smart officials will become subscribers so they can write posts responding to the concerns of local citizens.
Joseph DeAcetis: What kind of feedback have you received from Florida residents who’ve used the platform to voice their concerns or connect with their representatives?
Vince Cvijanovic: We launched the platform on July 16, so it is still early in our development, but the feedback has been refreshingly positive. Most of the feedback so far has come from people commenting on our ads and posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Joseph DeAcetis: From a strategic marketing perspective, how are you spreading awareness about this tool to ensure it reaches the communities that need it most?
Vince Cvijanovic: We are three weeks into our ad campaign running on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. We are working with Otter PR to help us get the word out. In the next few weeks, we will initiate our search engine marketing and programmatic display advertising.
Joseph DeAcetis: Are there any early success stories or impactful moments that stand out—where Re:Public helped drive real change at the local level?
Vince Cvijanovic: Since we only launched three weeks ago, we don’t have any specific moments to point to yet.
Joseph DeAcetis: Looking ahead, do you envision expanding Re:Public beyond Florida? What would that look like on a national scale?
Vince Cvijanovic: We are based in Florida and wanted to test our marketing strategies here first. Within a few months, we will expand out from Florida, and we hope to cover the entire U.S. over time.
Joseph DeAcetis: How do you see technology reshaping the relationship between citizens and their government in the next five years—and where does Re:Public fit into that vision?
Vince Cvijanovic: Our technology makes it much easier to connect with other concerned citizens in your community and share information that each contributor believes is important. Local news reporting and sharing has been significantly hampered by the loss of over 3,200 newspapers since 2005—a trend that is continuing into the foreseeable future. We believe that the more people know about what is happening in their local community—politics, issues such as homelessness, veteran care and support, crime, recreation, etc.—the more they will want to step in to help improve things. The more often that happens, the more likely people will realize they have much more control over their communities than they may have previously believed. We hope this will result in a growing virtuous cycle.
Ultimately, we believe Re:Public will lead to electing better representatives who will do a better job for us because they know that technology like Re:Public makes it much easier for their constituents to be informed about how they vote and how responsive they are. Finally, as we build our user base, it will become very easy for everyday citizens to run for office and communicate with voters through Re:Public—minimizing the need for the support or control of the two major political parties.
Joseph DeAcetis: Finally, for readers who want to get involved or explore the platform, what’s the first step they should take?
Vince Cvijanovic: Come to www.republic.us – click on https://republic.us/page/what-is-republic and read about us and watch the 60 second video explaining how people can benefit from using the Re:Public platform
Final Thoughts
Re:Public isn’t just a civic tech tool—it’s a blueprint for a more participatory democracy. It strips away the bureaucracy and empowers citizens to take action, one message, one article, one event at a time.
If you live in Florida and want to see how it works, visit www.republic.us and click on What is Re:Public to watch a 60-second explainer video.
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