If you’ve ever attended a typical town hall meeting featuring a member of Congress in his or her district, you know that turnout tends to be low.

Congressman Bruce Braley held a telephone town hall meeting Tuesday evening to discuss high gas prices with interested constituents. Nearly 5,000 first-district residents who received an automated phone call inviting them to the meeting opted to listen.

That is a huge number. Obviously, the convenience of the telephone format helped, because people didn’t need to drive to a different town or county (which would burn gas and cost money).

Still, people have so many competing demands on their time that I am shocked by how many people spent part of a summer evening listening to a member of Congress talk about energy policy.

A lot of people hang up the second they realize the voice on the other end is a robocall.

In case it wasn’t already obvious, the high price of gas is of great concern to large numbers of Iowans. The overwhelming majority of us live in car-dependent neighborhoods.

A statement released tonight by Braley’s Congressional office is after the jump.  

Braley Holds Virtual Town Hall with Nearly 5,000 Iowans to Talk About High Gas Prices

Braley telephone town-hall allows Iowans to attend…without driving

Washington, DC – Tonight Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) held a first-ever telephone town hall on high gas prices with nearly 5,000 Iowans.  The virtual town hall format allowed Iowans from across the First Congressional District to join in a conversation with Rep. Braley about solutions to the energy problem without driving.

“We need to take both short and long-term steps to get skyrocketing gas prices under control,” Braley said.  “Gas prices are at their highest level ever-it seems like a new record price is set every day.

“We need to invest more in renewable energy technology here in Iowa to help end our dependence on foreign oil.  By building a bridge to energy independence, we can help end the grip of the big oil companies on gas prices.  Most importantly, we need action on this problem and we need it now.

“Hearing from 5,000 constituents on the pain they’re feeling at the pump is invaluable information to me when I work in Congress to address this problem.”

The average price of gas in Iowa is $3.93 per gallon.  The price of gas in Iowa has increased nearly a dollar over the last year alone.

4,933 different Iowans participated in the virtual town hall tonight.  Braley took multiple questions about high gas prices during the call.  Callers from all over the First District were invited to participate.

The technology employed by Braley to conduct the town hall called out to thousands of Iowans who chose to participate in the forum when reached.