Answer: They have been a practice in many democratic societies that give people a chance to express their ideas and opinions.
Explanation:
Townhall meetings are very important in a democratic society as they give a platform to the electorate and the citizenry to express their problems, opinions and ideas.
This is a place where democratically elected representatives can listen to the opinion of the people they represent so that they can make decisions based on the will of the people. This is the essence of Representative Democracy.