Initiative Convention System
The Initiative Convention System reimagines direct democracy by coordinating a network of Civic Assemblies that gives everyday people a unique point of access to directly participate in the act of legislating.
Benefits
Gives everyday people the opportunity to bypass their state legislature and put measures directly on the ballot
Provides obtainable and light-weight democratic processes for groups who lack political resources and representation.
Guarantees universal accessibility, demographic diversity, legal integrity, and civic empowerment for anyone 16 years and up
How it works
1. Network of Civic Assemblies
First, four assemblies are constructed using the process of Lottery Selections, Orientation, Information Gathering and Deliberation:
A. One Agenda Assembly acquires and reviews proposals, then prioritizes two key topic areas for initiative development and calls for the selection of two Drafting Assemblies.
B. Two Drafting Assemblies, one for each of the two topic areas, gather information and draft the initiatives.
C. One Governance Commission is composed of the professional staff, advocates, and members from each Assembly. They support and help manage the process from start to finish, educating on and determining methodologies and processes, providing evaluation and feedback, and handling disputes.
2. Proposals & Prioritization
An Agenda Assembly requests proposals from members of the public, interest groups, and legislators on unsolved political policies and issues. The Assembly reviews the proposals, prioritizes two key initiative topics, and sends them to the Drafting Assemblies.
3. Drafting
The Drafting Assemblies then conduct research, hear testimonies from dozens of experts, and consult with legal advisors. They filter and process information and conduct gaps analysis to identify the types of policies needed to address the topics given to them by the Agenda Assembly. Each Drafting Assembly then drafts a Citizen Initiative based on what they’ve learned from assembly deliberation on potential policy options, approaches, and alternatives.
4. Ballot Measures
The drafted Citizens Initiatives are then distributed to acquire the signatures needed for them to be featured on the ballot. If the initiative receives the necessary signatures, they are then put on the ballot for voters to vote on.