expand_less Imagine the old fashioned precinct captain for the old political machines.  He'd walk around and find out what neighbors need.  Not all a bad thing except tied to the machine.machine,  Youand cana imaginecorrupt thatsystem someof morepatronage unpopularjobs. suggestions All couldpart beof heldmaintaining againsta someone.status-quo of power and influence.  
Imagine a new kind of precinct captain, one who is unaffiliated with any candidate or machine.  He or she is a neighbor walking around the neighborhood and finding out what the concerns are.  There's This nosystem penaltiesof forcaptains disagreements.and  There'sthe nosupporting penaltiessystems forwould expressingbe somethingpart of the commons; part of maintaining and growing democracy itself.  Rather than preserving a status-quo, we would be collectively maintaining small-d democratic values, with ataining maximal participation in the processes that ismake unpopular.for  a strong democracy. 
Imagine a new kind of precinct captain.  One who actually cares about what the neighbors have to say.  One who uses an app on his or her smartphone to record suggestions and concerns.  One who does this with the intention of connecting neighbors.   Instead of relying on patronage, workers who devote themselves to full or part-time work to build common assets would share in the collective value created by their efforts.
We are starting to see new kinds of candidates.  Candidates who seek out grassroots support. Candidates who care about the communities they hope to represent.  Candidates who would welcome people assuming the role of precinct captain walking around with smartphones and collecting data about issues and suggestions about the community.  Candidates who would welcome the development of an app to make this more efficient.  Candidates who would care about peer to peer democracy.
Note: Explain peer to peer democracy