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From The Statesman Journal: By Peter Wong The first of two citizen reviews of statewide ballot initiatives will start today at the Salem Conference Center, where two dozen panelists chosen from around Oregon will hear arguments and draw conclusions about Measure 85. But in a twist from the 2008 and 2010 election cycles, the measure’s official sponsors […]

From NBC: I’ve just read the official arguments for and against (and the arguments against the for argument and against the against argument) all 11 statewide measures on November California ballot. These are the arguments you’ll see in the voter information guide. And I wish I had that time back. The arguments don’t tell you much. They are political

From The Eugene Resgister-Guard: A year ago, the Oregon Legislature wisely chose to institutionalize a promising pilot project that convenes panels of citizens to weigh the merits and deficiencies of ballot measures and report back to voters. This week, the project has hit a speed bump — one that shouldn’t affect its long-term success, but which

From The Oregonian: To get through the day anymore is to withstand a blizzard of incoming information: from the Web, from electronic and print news providers, from handheld devices and chirping phones, from blaring billboards and drivetime radio, from the dancing teen in the sandwich outfit pointing the way to Subway. Much of it is dismissable.

From The Oregonian: Bob Packwood might be on to something. Speaking to the Portland City Club last month, the former U.S. senator declared that all elections in Oregon should be nonpartisan and that voters will eventually grow tired of partisan bickering. I think we’re there now. I know I am. Reports are that nearly 650,000 eligible

From Oregon Public Broadcasting: A nonprofit group has brought together a randomly selected group of citizens to act as a kind of jury to assess two of the initiatives on this year’s ballot. The nonprofit Healthy Democracy Oregon designed each panel of 24 people per ballot measure to represent the demographics of the Oregon electorate. There are no

From The Oregonian: I recently got together with a diesel mechanic from Klamath Falls, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bonanza, a former United Farm Workers activist from Salem, and 20 other Oregonians from around the state. The youngest in our gathering was a 19-year-old seasonal worker from Hermiston, the oldest (that anyone would admit to) was

From The Daily Astotrian: Healthy Democracy Oregon is one of the best things to happen to Oregon in the past 20 years. It helps the average voter demystify the confusing world of ballot initiatives. For its Citizens Initiative Review program, Healthy Democracy Oregon brings a group of randomly selected Oregonians to Salem for a week to

From The Statesman Journal: After a week of hearing arguments, asking questions of experts and discussing it among themselves, Rocky Krokus of Portland and Barbara Ogden of Klamath Falls came down on opposite sides of Measure 73 in the Nov. 2 election. Krokus spoke Friday for 21 members of a citizen panel opposed to the ballot

From The Oregonian: Kenny Burke didn’t think he’d be chosen. He had returned the postcard, mostly at the behest of his wife. Only weeks later, Burke learned he’d been selected to be part of a panel that would review a citizen initiative bound for the November ballot. And for the first time, a citizen panel’s opinion

From The Statesman Journal: By Peter Wong An experiment in how Oregon voters look at ballot initiatives will unfold starting Monday — an experiment worth watching, literally, at Salem Conference Center. Just like a jury in a courtroom, a panel of 24 voters from throughout the state will hear from advocates and opponents of an initiative

From Eugene Register-Guard: The initiative process asks a lot of citizens, particularly when voters are bombarded with conflicting claims by well-financed campaigns. In this election cycle, Oregon will have some help: A random sampling of people from around the state will gather for an intensive evaluation of two initiatives on the November ballot, and findings will

From AmericaSpeaks: What were the most interesting public deliberations to take place this year? This certainly isn’t a definitive list. But as I think about the past year, here are the five efforts that stand out for me as being noteworthy and important. 1. Citizen Initiative Review The Oregon Citizen Initiative Review is a process organized

From The East Oregonian: Love-hate is a good description of Oregon voters’ relationship with our state’s fabled initiative and referendum. On the one hand, voters are possessive of the ballot initiative. On the other hand, these ballot proposals are notoriously complicated, and their campaigns typically generate more heat than light. Most statewide ballot proposals are blunt

From The Hillsboro Argus: A panel of citizens have issued their verdict on Measure 58. Their recommendation: Reject it. Measure 58 would limit the number of years non-native students may be taught in the language of their birth: one year for elementary students, two for those in high school. The evaluation came as the result of