What is Council Reader?
Council Reader is an unofficial project intended to support Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA-LA). It uses large language models [LLMs] to review and summarize Los Angeles City Council meeting transcripts, with a particular focus on surfacing contested votes so residents can track the ideological alignment of city councilmembers over time.
For a broader, ongoing view of where councilmembers stand, see the Los Angeles City Left Tracker.
Why does this exist?
City Council meetings are public, but let's be honest: most people don't have 3+ hours to watch them. The decisions made in these meetings affect housing, transportation, public safety, and how our tax dollars are spent.
Council Reader exists to make it easier to stay informed and hold our elected officials accountable. When you can see how your council member voted and what they said, you're better equipped to decide who deserves your vote.
How does it work?
Meeting data and agendas come from the city's official PrimeGov portal. Video transcripts are processed using AI to generate news-style summaries that highlight key votes, debates, and what it all means for LA residents.
Who maintains this?
Council Reader is maintained by @talevy.soccer.