How to use People's Power

This guide shows you where to click. Every picture below is a drawing of a real screen. The red numbers on the picture match the numbered steps under it. Do step 1, then step 2, and keep going.

Who are you?

What is People's Power?

It is a website that shows you what your government is doing.

• You can read every new law while it is still being written.
• You can see the person who represents you, and send them a message.
• You can follow building projects in your area and say if something is wrong.
• You can vote in polls and tell your leaders what you think.
• Your leaders use the same website to do their work, so you both see the same thing.

Words we use

Some words on the website are hard. Here is what each one means, in plain English.

1. Create your account

Go to the website and click Sign up at the top right. This opens a form with two steps.

Step one — your details

1. Type your full name.
2. Type your email. Use one you can open right now — a code is coming to it.
3. Type your phone number.
4. Make a password, then type the same password again in the box next to it.
   • Use at least 8 letters and numbers.
   • Click the little eye 👁 if you want to see what you typed.
5. Click the small square box to tick I agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
6. Click the big green Create Account button.

Step two — the code from your email

The website now sends a 6-digit code to your email. Go and open your email.

1. Type the 6 numbers from the email into the six little boxes. One number in each box. You can also copy the code and paste it — all six boxes fill on their own.
2. Click Verify Account.
3. No email? Wait for the timer to finish, then click Resend now.
   • Look in your spam or junk folder first.
   • The code stops working after 10 minutes. If it is old, ask for a new one.
   • You can only ask for a new code once every minute.

2. Finish your profile

1. Click State of Residence and pick the state you live in.
2. Click Select Constituency and pick your area.
   • This box stays grey until you pick a state. Do step 1 first.
3. Under Focus Interests, tap the subjects you care about. Tap as many as you like. Tap one again to turn it off.
4. Click Complete My Profile.

3. Log in

1. Type your email or phone number. Either one works.
2. Type your password.
3. Click Log In.
4. Forgotten it? Click Forgot Password? and read the next part.

4. Forgot your password

1. Type your email and click Send Reset Code.
2. Open your email, type the 6 numbers, and click Verify Code.
3. Type a new password twice, then click Reset Password.

5. Your home screen

1. The green strip down the left is your menu. Every page in this guide is on it. On a phone, tap the ☰ lines at the top to open it.
2. The envelope ✉ takes you to your messages. A red dot means somebody wrote to you.
3. The bell 🔔 shows your news. A red number means something changed. Click it, then click Mark all read to clear them.
4. The four boxes with numbers tell you how much you are following right now.
5. Your Rep is the leader for your area. Click Direct Message Rep to write to them straight away.

Lower down the page you will also find Local News For You and a small Report Local Issue box, where you can report a problem without leaving this page.

6. Bills

Find a bill and follow it

1. Type a word from the bill's name in the search box. Or leave it empty to see them all.
2. Use the grey drop-down boxes to narrow the list — by status, by who wrote it, or by committee.
3. Click the title of a bill to open it and read it.
4. Click Follow Bill to keep an eye on it. A small box opens — tick what you want to hear about, then click Follow Bill again.
   • The button then says Following. Click it again to stop following.

Read a bill you follow

Click My Bills in the green menu. Everything you follow is listed there. Click one to open it.

1. The coloured tag at the top tells you where the bill has reached.
2. Remove Bill stops you following it and sends you back to your list.
3. Share gives you a link you can copy and send to a friend.
4. The Legislative Path is the bill's journey. Green ticks are done. The dot is where it is now.

Scroll down for Recent Votes (how each leader voted), Official Documents you can download, and Constituent Voice, where you can leave a comment. See part 13 for that.

7. Motions

1. Use the search box or the two grey boxes to find a motion.
2. Following shows only the motions you are watching.
3. All Motions shows every motion. Start here to find new ones.
4. Click View Details to open a motion.
   • If a motion was turned down, the button says Reasoning instead. Click it to read why.

Inside a motion

1. Click Get Updates to be told when this motion moves. A small box opens with three tick boxes:
   • Notify when debate starts
   • Notify when voting happens
   • Notify when decision is made
   Tick what you want, then click Follow Motion. The button now reads Updates on.
2. Type what you think in the box that says Add your perspective on this motion...
3. Click Post Comment. Everyone can read it.
4. Chamber Sentiment shows how the leaders voted: for, against, or not voting.

8. Your representatives

1. Auto-assigned Representatives is your own leader. The website picked them because of the area you chose in step 2. You do not have to do anything.
2. A blue tick ✔ next to a name means the Assembly has checked that this person is real.
3. Click View Profile to see everything they have done.
4. Click the envelope ✉ to write to them right now.

On their profile page

You will see four big numbers: Bills Sponsored, Attendance Rate, Votes Participated and Engagement Score. There are four tabs to click:

• Overview — their life story, their committees, past elections.
• Bills — every law they have written.
• Projects — everything being built in your area under their name.
• Voting Record — how they voted on every single thing. Use the All / For / Against / Abstained buttons to filter it.

At the top of that page: Message writes to them, and Follow adds them to your Followed Representatives list so you can find them again. To stop, click Unfollow.

9. Projects

1. Click the red Report Issue button if something is wrong with the project.
2. Click Follow Project to be told when it moves on.
3. The green bar shows how much is finished.
4. Click Add My Update to tell everyone what you can see on the ground.

Reporting a problem with a project

1. Pick an Issue Type: Abandoned, Delayed, Poor Quality, Mismanagement, Safety Concern or Other.
2. Write what is wrong in the Description box. Use at least 10 letters.
3. Add a photo or a short video if you have one. It must be smaller than 20MB.
4. Click Submit Report.

You can see what happened to your report later. Go to Report an Issue in the green menu and click the Project reports tab.

10. Polls (voting)

1. Under Active Polls, read the question.
2. Click the answer you want. It turns green.
   • On some polls there are little pictures instead — 👍 for yes, 👎 for no, ⚖ for not sure. Tapping one of those votes straight away.
3. Click Submit Vote. A green message says Vote submitted!
4. Scroll down to Past Results to see polls that are finished and who won.

11. Messages

1. Click ＋ New at the top. A box opens saying Select a representative to start a conversation with. Search for a name and click it.
2. Old chats are listed down the left. Click one to open it.
3. Type what you want to say in the box at the bottom.
4. Click the arrow ➤ to send.
   • Under your message it says Sent, then Seen when they read it.

The ⋮ at the top right of a chat lets you View Profile, Mark as Unread or Delete Conversation.

12. Report a problem

1. Give it a short Title, like "Broken street light".
2. In Detailed Description, say what is wrong. Use at least 10 letters.
3. Pick an Issue Type — Infrastructure, Environment, Public Safety, Health, Education or Other.
4. Type where it is in Exact Location. A street name or a landmark is fine.
5. Add a photo if you can. It must be smaller than 10MB.
6. Click Submit Report.
7. Watch what happens to it on the right.
   • Community issues — problems like this one, that you reported yourself.
   • Project reports — problems you reported about a building project.

What the coloured tags mean

13. Comments and reactions

Near the bottom of almost every page there is a box called Constituent Voice. It always works the same way.

1. Tap one button to say how you feel:
   • 👍 SUPPORT — you like it.
   • 👎 OPPOSE — you do not like it.
   • 🤔 UNSURE — you are not sure.
   Tap the same button again to take your answer back.
2. Type in Add a public comment... to say more.
3. Click the arrow ➤ to post it. Everyone can read it.
4. A green Official tag means the reply came from the leader or from an admin — not from an ordinary person.

14. News and sittings

News

Click News at the top of the website. Click any story to read it. Inside a story:

• 👍 — tap to like it. Tap again to unlike.
• Share — get a link to send to someone.
• 🔖 Bookmark — save it to read later.

At the bottom of the sidebar is Stay Ahead of the Curve. Type your email there and click Subscribe Now to get a summary by email every week. Every email has an unsubscribe link at the bottom if you change your mind.

Sittings

Click Sessions at the top. A LIVE tag means the leaders are meeting right now — click it to watch. Older meetings are listed underneath, with a video you can still watch.

To be reminded about a meeting, click Remind Me at the top of the Sessions page. This box opens:

1. Tick Before session starts to be told the day before.
2. Tick When session goes live to be told the moment it begins.
3. Tick When summary is published to be told when the write-up is ready.
4. Click Save. The button now says Edit Reminder.

15. Settings

1. Change your Full Name here if you need to.
   • Your phone and email have a 🔒 on them. You cannot change those yourself.
2. Click Save Changes. This saves your name and your area together.
3. Moved house? Change Primary State and Constituency District, then click Save Changes. Your leader changes to match.
4. Tap subjects under Focus Interests, then click Save Interests. Keep at least one.
5. Under Alert Subscriptions, flip a switch to get emails about that subject. These save on their own — there is no button to press.

16. Paying for Premium

Most of the website is free. A few things are Premium, which means you pay a small amount to see them. When something is locked you still see the title and a short piece — just not the whole thing.

1. Click View plans. This takes you to the payment page.

On the payment page

1. Read the plans. Both plans unlock everything — the more expensive one just supports the platform more.
2. Click the plan you want.
3. Click Continue to payment.
4. Pay on the page that opens. You come straight back afterwards.

When it works, the page says You're subscribed. Every padlock is now gone.

What Premium unlocks

Stopping your payments

1. Go to Settings, find the Subscription box, and click Manage subscription.
2. Click Cancel subscription.
3. Click Yes, cancel to confirm.

1. Getting your account

How it works

1. Wait for the email. It comes from the Assembly and says You're Invited to People Power.
2. Click the green Set Up Your Account button inside the email.
   • The link only works for 48 hours. After that, ask the admin to send a new one.
3. Type your full name, make a password, and type the same password again. Then send the form.

The blue tick

Your account starts not verified. Citizens can still see your profile, but without the ✔ tick next to your name. Only a Super Admin can add that tick. Ask them if you need it. You can see where you stand in Settings → Profile, at the bottom of the page.

2. Log in

The log in page is exactly the same one citizens use. Go to the website and click Login at the top right.

1. Type your official email (or your phone number).
2. Type your password.
3. Click Log In.

Forgotten your password? Click Forgot Password? and follow the same three screens described in the citizen part, step 4.

3. Your home screen

1. Your menu is the green strip on the left. It has more items than a citizen's menu.
2. View Public Profile shows you exactly what the public sees when they look you up. Check it now and then.
3. The four boxes are your score: bills you wrote, how often you show up, how many people follow you, and your projects.
4. Quick Actions are shortcuts. Create Bill, Add Project, Start Poll and Engage take you straight to the job.
5. Join Session opens the next meeting. It goes grey when there is nothing to join.

4. Bills

Your list of bills

1. Click ＋ Create New Bill to start a new one.
2. Use the search box and the grey boxes to find an old one.
3. The Current Stage tag tells you where each bill has reached.
4. Click the pencil ✏ to change a bill, or the ⋯ dots for Edit and Delete.

Writing a bill — the four steps

Clicking ＋ Create New Bill opens a form with four steps along the top. You move through them one at a time.

1. The four steps are shown at the top. The green one is where you are now.
2. Type the Bill Title. This is the only thing you must fill in to move on.
3. Pick a Category, a Target Session, and write a Short Summary. Add Tags if you like.
4. Click Next Step.

Step 2 — Bill Content

1. Write the actual words of the law in the big writing box.
   • Use the buttons above it for bold, italic, headings and lists.
2. Upload any documents that go with it.
3. Watch the little word near the box. It says Saved when your work is safe.
4. Click Next Step. You cannot move on with an empty box.

Step 3 — Sponsors

1. Primary Sponsor is already you. You cannot change it.
2. Under Co-Sponsors, type a colleague's name and click them to add them.
3. Pick a Standing Committee — the group who will study your bill.
4. Pick an Effective Date — when the law would start.
5. Click Next Step.

Step 4 — Review and send

1. Read everything one last time. Click Read Full Bill to see the whole text.
2. Click Submit Bill.

5. Motions

The journey of a motion

Write a motion

Click My Motions in the green menu, then ＋ Raise a Motion.

1. Type a short Title.
2. Write a one or two sentence Summary. This is what the public sees on the list.
3. In The motion, as it will be moved, write the exact words you will say. It usually starts "That this House do resolve…".
4. Not finished? Click Save as draft. Only you can see it.
5. Ready? Click Submit for clearance. The clerk now checks it.

Put your motion on a meeting

Once the clerk clears it, open the motion and click Table in a sitting.

1. A meeting marked Sitting now is happening right this minute.
2. A meeting marked Scheduled has not started yet. This is the safe choice.
3. Read the orange warning if you pick a live meeting.
4. Click Table motion, or Table and open the division on a live meeting.

Voting on a motion

When a vote is open, go to Sessions, open the meeting, and find Motions on the floor. Each motion has three buttons:

1. For — you agree.
2. Against — you do not agree.
3. Abstain — you are present but not choosing a side.

You can change your mind while the vote is still open. Just click a different button. When it closes, the card says Voting closed — carried or not carried.

Other things you can do to a motion

6. Projects

Make a new project

Click My Projects in the green menu, then Create Project.

1. Type the Project Name.
2. Write the Description — what it is and who it helps.
3. Fill in the Start Date, the Expected Completion date and the Budget. The budget is optional.
4. Add a Cover Image. A photo of the site or a plan drawing works well.
5. Click Create Project.

Post an update

People want to know how it is going. On your project list, each card has three buttons: VIEW, EDIT and UPDATE. Click UPDATE.

1. Pick the Current Status: Ongoing, Completed, Delayed or Abandoned.
2. Write a short Progress Note about what has just happened.
3. Drag in a photo of the site.
4. Click Post Update. Everyone following the project is told.

7. Polls

Click Polls in the green menu, then ＋ Create Poll.

1. Type your Poll Question. Keep it short — under about 120 letters works best.
2. Type the answers people can pick. You need at least two.
3. Need more answers? Click ＋ Add Option. The bin 🗑 removes one.
4. Pick Single Choice (one answer only) or Multiple Choice (people can tick several).
5. Set the Duration — the date and time the poll shuts by itself.
6. Click Publish Poll to open it now, or Save as Draft to finish later.

Seeing the answers

Click View Results on any poll card. You will see:

• Live Results — a bar for each answer.
• Total Participation — how many people answered.
• Breakdown by Precinct and Demographic Distribution — who answered, by area, age and gender.
• Export CSV — downloads all the numbers as a spreadsheet.

8. Sittings

Click Sessions in the green menu.

• Live Now — a meeting happening right this minute. Click it to join.
• Upcoming Sessions — meetings that have not started.
• Remind Me — get told before a meeting starts. It works the same way as the citizen version. Once set, the button says Edit Reminder.

Inside a live meeting

Open a meeting to see the video, the Session Agenda (what will be discussed, in order), Bills on Floor, and who is present under Assembly Attendance.

The important part for you is Motions on the floor in the side panel. That is where you vote — see step 5 above. Click Leave Session at the top when you are finished.

9. Constituent Feedback

1. Awaiting Reply is the number that matters. It counts people still waiting to hear from you. Click the box to jump there.
2. The Comments tab lists what people wrote. Use the All / Bills / Projects / Sessions buttons to narrow it.
3. The Project reports tab is for problems people flagged on your building projects.
4. Awaiting reply only is ticked for you. It hides everything you have already answered. Untick it to see everything.
5. Type into Write an official response… and click the arrow ➤. Your reply is public and gets an Official tag.

The other two tabs

• Sentiment — which of your bills and projects people like most and least. Sort by Most opposed to find trouble early.
• Followers — who is watching you, and what they are watching.

10. Constituency Reports

1. Urgent Reports at the top are the most serious ones. Deal with these first.
2. Click Respond to change the status. A box opens:
   • Pick a new status: New, In Progress, In Review, Dismissed or Resolved.
   • Write a short note saying what you did.
   • Click Save Update.
3. Click View Details to see photos, the exact spot on a map, and to write to the person directly under Official Correspondence.

On the details page there is also a Resolve button. Click it when the problem is properly fixed. It then reads Resolved.

11. Messages

Click Messages in the green menu. It works exactly like the citizen version, with one difference: your list is full of citizens, not legislators.

1. Click ＋ New to start a chat. A box says Select a citizen to start a conversation with.
2. Type a name in Search citizens... and click the person.
3. Type your message and click the arrow ➤.

12. Settings

Click Settings in the green menu. There are four tabs along the top.

1. The four tabs are Profile, Account & Security, Notifications and Privacy & Visibility.
2. Click Change Image to add your photo. Use a clear head-and-shoulders picture.
3. Fill in your Legislature, Chamber, State and Constituency.
   • Chamber only appears if you pick National Assembly.
   • Constituency stays grey until you pick a state.
4. This line tells you whether you have the blue tick. Only a Super Admin can give it to you.
5. Click Save Changes.

Account & Security tab

1. Type your Current Password.
2. Type your New Password, then type it again below.
3. Click Update Security.

Your email is shown but you cannot change it here. There is no two-step login yet.

Notifications tab

Four switches. Turn on the ones you want:

• Messages — when a citizen writes to you.
• Reports — weekly summaries and committee findings.
• Sessions — meeting updates and quorum calls.
• Polls — surveys and feedback.

Privacy & Visibility tab

Three switches that control what the public sees:

• Show contact info on public profile — your office email and phone.
• Show activity publicly — your bills, votes and attendance.
• Allow direct messages from constituents — turn this off and people cannot write to you.

1. Getting in

1. Type your Email address.
2. Type your Password. Click the eye 👁 to check what you typed.
3. Click Sign in.

If it does not let you in

New admins — accepting your invitation

You do not make your own admin account. A Super Admin invites you by email.

1. Open the invitation email and click the link inside it.
2. Type your full name. Your email is filled in already and cannot be changed.
3. Make a password (at least 8 letters) and type it again below.
4. Click Activate my account.

If the link says Invitation unavailable, it has run out. Ask for a fresh one.

2. Your home screen

1. The green strip on the left is your menu. It has every section on it.
   • You only see the parts your role is allowed to open. If a menu item is missing, that is why.
2. The Search platform data box finds users, legislators, bills, projects and sittings. Press Ctrl+K (or ⌘K on a Mac) to open it from anywhere.
3. Pending Approvals in the gold box is your to-do list. If it is not zero, something is waiting for you.
4. Pending Legislative Verifications lists leaders waiting for their blue tick. Click Verify next to a name, then Confirm Verification.
5. Bills Needing Status Update shows bills nobody has touched in a while. Click Update Status to open one.

3. Citizens

In the menu click Users, then Citizens.

1. Type a name or an email in the search box to find one person.
2. Click All, Active, Pending or Suspended to narrow the list.
3. Click a person's name to open their full profile.
4. Click the ⋯ dots for quick actions without leaving the list.

On a citizen's profile

1. Click Verify User to give them a verified tick. Click Remove Verification to take it away.
2. Click Suspend to block them.
   • You must write a reason. Be clear — this is kept on record.
   • You can tick a box to email them about it.
3. Click Reactivate to let a suspended person back in.
4. Scroll down to the Activity Log to see everything they have done. Click Load more for older entries.

4. Legislators

In the menu click Users, then Legislators.

Inviting a legislator

Click Invite Legislator at the top right. This box opens.

1. Type their Full Name, with the title — for example "Hon." or "Sen.".
2. Type their Official Email Address. The invitation goes here, so get it right.
3. Pick the Legislature: State House of Assembly, or National Assembly.
4. Pick the Chamber: Senate or House of Representatives.
   • This only appears if you chose National Assembly. State assemblies have no chamber.
5. Pick the State, then the District / Constituency.
   • The district box stays grey until you pick a state. Do the state first.
6. Pick their Initial Access Level: Standard Legislator for most people, or Committee Chair if they run a committee.
7. Click Send Invite.

Managing a legislator

Click a name to open their profile. Depending on your role you can:

• Access level — switch between Standard and Committee Chair.
• Committee Membership — add or remove committees, then click Save.
• Verify User — give the blue tick. Super Admin only.
• Suspend — block them. Super Admin only.

Four tabs show their record: Overview, Bills, Projects and Voting Record.

5. Bills

Click Bills in the menu, then click a bill's title to open it. The buttons you need are in the dark green Administrative Control box.

1. UPDATE STAGE — moves the bill to its next step. A box opens:
   • Pick a stage: Drafting, First Reading, Committee Review, Public Hearing, Second Reading, Final Vote, Enactment.
   • Add a note if it helps. This is optional.
   • Click Transition Stage.
2. APPROVE BILL — says yes to the bill and makes it public. Write your feedback, then click Confirm Approval.
3. DISSEMINATE — opens a sharing box for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
4. REJECT BILL — turns it down. You must give a reason. The legislator is told.
5. Admin Insights & Notes is for private notes between admins. The public never sees these.

6. Motions

Click Motions in the menu, then a motion's title. Your buttons are again in the Administrative Control box.

1. Read the Summary and The motion, as moved.
2. Happy with it? Click Clear for floor. It is now public.
3. Needs work? Click Return for revision and write what must change.
4. Not acceptable at all? Click the red Reject motion and give a reason.

Lower down, Voting Rounds shows how each person voted. Click Show to open a round. You can also open voting, close voting and record the result of a past meeting from here.

7. Projects

Approving a project

Click Projects in the menu, then a project's name.

1. Read the project and look at the photos.
2. Click Approve to let the public see it.
3. Click Reject to send it back. A box says "Rejecting this project will return it to the legislator as a draft for revision." They can fix it and try again.
4. Click Update Status to change it to Draft, Pending, Ongoing, Completed, Delayed or Abandoned, then click Save Status.

Complaints about projects

Click Projects then Issue Reports. This is every complaint the public has made about any project, all in one list.

1. Click a coloured button to see only reports at that stage.
2. Pick the new Report Status.
3. Write an internal note. Only admins see this.
4. Write a reply to the reporter. They will read this and get a notification.
   • Leave it empty and nothing is sent to them.
5. Click Save Moderation.

8. Sittings

Click Sessions in the menu, then Create Session.

1. Type the Session Title. Use at least 3 letters.
2. Pick the Session Type, the Location, the Date and the Start Time. All four are needed.
3. Upload a Cover Image and paste the YouTube Livestream Link if there is a video.
4. Click ＋ Add Agenda for each item to be discussed. Pick a type — Debate & Vote, Presentation, Procedural, Public Interaction or Break — and how long it should take.
5. Click Publish Session to announce it, or Save as Draft to finish later.

Running the meeting

Open the meeting from the list to see its review page. From there you can:

• Edit — change any detail.
• Manage Invitees — pick who is coming, then click Save Invitees.
• Start Session — puts it live. The whole platform sees a LIVE tag.
• Premium access — decide whether people must pay to watch the recording.

When it is over, mark it complete. To call one off, cancel it.

9. News

Click News in the menu, then Add New Post.

1. Type the Title. It needs at least 5 letters.
2. Upload a header image. This is the big picture at the top of the story.
3. Write the story in the big box. Use the buttons above it for bold, italics, headings, lists, links and pictures.
4. Pick a Category and add Tags.
5. Choose Visibility:
   • Public — everybody can read all of it.
   • Premium — only paying readers see the whole thing. Everyone else sees a short piece and a padlock.
6. Click Create post.

Back on the news list, each story has View, Edit, PUBLISH / UNPUBLISH and Delete. UNPUBLISH pulls a story back to draft — it does not delete it.

10. Comments

Click Engagement in the menu. Every comment on every bill, project, sitting and news story is in this one list.

1. Type words into Search comment text… to find a particular comment.
2. Click Bills, Projects, Sessions or News to see comments from one place only.
3. Click the 🚫 hide icon — "Hide from public view (keeps the record)". Nobody can see it, but it is not gone.
4. Click the ↩ restore icon to put a hidden comment back.
5. Click the 🗑 bin to delete it for good. You will be asked to confirm.

11. Newsletter

Click Newsletter in the menu, then Compose Newsletter.

1. Type the Subject — what people see in their inbox. At least 3 letters.
2. Type the preview text — the short line under the subject.
3. Write the Body. It cannot be empty. Simple HTML tags work if you know them.
4. Check the Preview panel on the side. That is exactly what people will get.
5. Click Save draft to finish later, or Send to subscribers to send it now.
6. A box asks "Save and send this newsletter to all active subscribers now?" Click yes.

The Subscribers page lists everyone signed up, with their email, where they signed up from, and when. You can remove someone, or export the whole list.

12. Alerts

This is different from the newsletter. A newsletter goes to everybody. An alert goes only to people who asked for that one subject.

Click Alerts in the menu. There are three pages:

• Alert Types — the subjects people can sign up to.
• Subscribers — who signed up to what.
• Delivered — what was sent, and whether it arrived.

Making a new subject

1. Click New Alert Type.
2. Type a Name, like "New Bill Alert".
3. Leave the Slug alone — it fills itself in.
   • This cannot be changed later, so get the name right the first time.
4. Write a short Description saying what the alert covers.
5. Tick Active (visible to users for subscription) so people can find it.
6. Click Save Changes.

Sending an alert

1. On the Alert Types list, click the Send alert icon on the row you want.
2. Type a subject line.
3. Write the message.
4. Click Send Alert.

Check the Delivered page afterwards. Each one says Queued, Sent or Failed.

13. Polls

Click Polls in the menu, then New Assembly Poll.

1. Type the Poll Question. At least 5 letters.
2. Add the Answer Options. You need 2 to 10 of them.
3. Pick Poll Type: Single Choice or Multiple Choice.
4. Pick Audience Target: All Constituents, or Specific Constituency and then name it.
5. Pick Who Can Vote: Public (everyone) or Legislators Only.
6. Turn on Anonymous voting if people should not be named with their answer.
7. Set how long it runs, then click Save as Draft or publish it.

On a poll's page you get Live Results, Total Participation, Unique voters, and a breakdown by area, age and gender. Close Poll ends the voting for good.

14. Money and Premium

Click Subscriptions in the menu. It has three pages underneath.

Subscribers

Everyone who pays, and every payment made.

Click a row to see one person's details. Deactivate subscription stops their billing. Tick Revoke access immediately to cut them off at once instead of at the end of the period.

Refresh plan prices at the top re-reads the prices from the payment company. Use it if a price looks out of date.

Plans & Benefits

What each plan gives people. You can turn a benefit on or off for a plan, and set how much of it they get.

Reset to defaults at the bottom puts one plan back the way it started.

Premium Content

This is where you decide which pages are paid.

1. Click a tab to choose what you are working on: News, Sessions, Bills or Polls.
2. Use All / Premium / Public and the search box to find what you want.
3. Tick the boxes next to the rows you want to change. Tick several to do them all at once.
4. Click Mark as premium to lock them, or Make public to open them up.
5. The Access column always tells you where each one stands: 🔒 Premium or 🌐 Public.

What locking actually hides

15. Constituency reports

Click Report in the menu.

1. Urgent Reports are at the top. These are marked critical. Do these first.
2. Use the filters to narrow the list:
   • All Status — New, In Review, In Progress, Legislator Assigned, Resolved, Dismissed.
   • All Categories — Infrastructure, Health, Education, Environment, Security, Other.
   • All Priorities — Critical, High, Medium, Low.
3. Click View Details on a report.
4. Under Assigned Legislator, click Assign to and pick the right person. They are told straight away.
5. Click the resolve button, pick the new status, write a note, then click Save Update.

Action History at the bottom shows everything that has happened to the report and who did it.

16. Settings

Click Settings in the menu. There are three tabs.

Tab 1 — General Settings

1. Change the Platform Name. It shows in the browser tab and in every email the system sends.
2. Click Replace Logo to upload a new logo. PNG or SVG, 512×512, under 2MB.
3. Enable Maintenance takes the public website offline. Read the warning below first.
4. Click Save changes. Nothing happens until you do.

Tab 2 — User & Roles

This is the table that decides what each kind of admin can do.

1. Find the row for the thing you care about — they are grouped by section.
2. Click the tick or cross in the Admin or Manager column to switch it.
3. Click Save changes.

Some cells are locked and cannot be clicked. The whole Super Admin column is locked, because a Super Admin always has everything. Rows with a Super admin tag can never be given away — see the next step.

Reset to defaults puts the whole table back the way it started.

Tab 3 — Team Access

Who can sign in to this dashboard.

1. On the right, type the person's Email Address.
2. Pick their Role under Assign Role.
   • It starts on the least powerful role on purpose. Change it if you mean to.
3. Click Send Invitation.
4. To change somebody's role later, use the drop-down on their row in the list.
5. The refresh icon sends a fresh invitation link. The bin takes their access away.

17. Who can do what

The five things only a Super Admin can ever do

These five can never be given to an Admin or a Manager, no matter what you tick in the permissions table. They are locked in the software.

If a button or a menu item is missing

Nothing is broken. Your role does not have that permission. The dashboard hides what you cannot use instead of showing you a dead button.

• A whole menu section missing → you cannot view that section at all.
• A section opens but the action buttons are gone → you can look but not change.
• A "View-only access" banner across the top → you are a Manager.
• "Access denied" on a whole page → ask a Super Admin to change your role in Settings → User & Roles.

For the team

This section is for the people who built the platform — not for citizens. Delete it before sharing this guide with the public.