Deliberative

A Model for Democracy in Polarized Times Comes to Life in Fort Collins

Blog / By

Photo Credit: City of Fort Collins The First Weekend of Fort Collins’ First-Ever Civic Assembly In an effort to strengthen and reimagine local democracy, the City of Fort Collins launched its first-ever Civic Assembly last weekend. This bold initiative brings together 20 residents—selected through a Civic Lottery to reflect the diversity of the city—to tackle

A Model for Democracy in Polarized Times Comes to Life in Fort Collins Read More »

What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do for American Politics?

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

An Oregon county is looking for solutions to youth homelessness—so it convened a random selection of residents to come up with ideas. December 31, 2024 by Nick Romeo | ast July, an unusual letter arrived at Kathryn Kundmueller’s mobile home, in central Oregon. It invited her to enter a lottery that would select thirty residents of

What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do for American Politics? Read More »

How will Fort Collins decide what to do with old Hughes Stadium? It’s trying something new

Fort Collins - News, In the Press, News / By

Rebecca Powell, Fort Collins Coloradoan | Published 5:01 a.m. MT July 23rd, 2024 | Updated 7:54 p.m. MT Aug. 20, 2024 UPDATE: Fort Collins City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday, Aug. 20 to use a “civic assembly” process to help determine what the former Hughes Stadium land should be used for. Council member Kelly Ohlson and

How will Fort Collins decide what to do with old Hughes Stadium? It’s trying something new Read More »

A Visitor’s Perspective: Deschutes Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness

Blog / By

By Nick Coccoma – A few weeks ago, as Americans hurtled toward yet another turbulent election, I made the journey from lush Portland to dry Bend to witness Healthy Democracy’s Deschutes Civic Assembly. I’d never observed an assembly before, despite advocating on behalf of deliberative democracy for many years. Now was my chance to see

A Visitor’s Perspective: Deschutes Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness Read More »

In Oregon assembly, Americans show another kind of politics is possible

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

📺 Watch Deschutes County assembly members describe their experience in their own words As a contentious U.S. presidential election comes down to the wire, a group of citizens from across the political spectrum in Bend, Oregon demonstrated another way to do politics: through group deliberation, analysis, and moving moments of personal connection and excitement. “It’s

In Oregon assembly, Americans show another kind of politics is possible Read More »

Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness wraps up its final discussion, preps proposed solutions for leaders to consider

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

Kelsey McGee, October 6, 2024 — BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — An innovative new way for Central Oregonians to weigh in on one of the region’s most pressing issues wrapped up its fifth and final day Sunday, preparing proposals for area officials to consider. The Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness gave a representative sample of 30 Deschutes County

Civic Assembly on Youth Homelessness wraps up its final discussion, preps proposed solutions for leaders to consider Read More »

Selection Event for First Civic Assembly in Central Oregon

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

July 30, 2024 — The Central Oregon Civic Action Project (COCAP), Healthy Democracy, and the Central Oregon Youth Action Board are excited to announce a Lottery-Selection event for Central Oregon’s first-ever Civic Assembly. The event will take place on August 1, 2024, at 6pm at the Deschutes Public Library. During this event, 30 delegates will

Selection Event for First Civic Assembly in Central Oregon Read More »

Asambleas ciudadanas locales comenzarán en el otoño

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

La primera asamblea se enfocará en encontrar soluciones para los jóvenes sin hogar Julianna Lafollette | Translated Jéssica Sánchez-Millar, June 26, 2024 — El Ayuntamiento de Bend y la mesa de comisionados del condado de Deschutes aprobaron un Memorando de Entendimiento con el Proyecto de Acción civil del Centro de Oregón (COCAP por sus siglas

Asambleas ciudadanas locales comenzarán en el otoño Read More »

Launching a first-of-its-kind Civic Assembly in Deschutes County, Oregon, USA 🇺🇸

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

12,750 invitation letters have been mailed to residents in our first project to institutionalise a Citizens’ Assembly in the US July 10, 2024 — Last week, with official support from city and county governments in Central Oregon, more than 12,750 letters were sent to residents inviting them to be in the lottery for a Civic Assembly on

Launching a first-of-its-kind Civic Assembly in Deschutes County, Oregon, USA 🇺🇸 Read More »

Editorial: Does Deschutes County need a do over on setting policy?

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

May 19, 2024 — When the Bend City Council agreed Wednesday to join an effort by the Central Oregon Civic Action Project to examine solutions to youth homelessness we had questions: Who is this group? Where is the money coming from? The effort will be like jury duty for setting government policy. It’s similar to something from

Editorial: Does Deschutes County need a do over on setting policy? Read More »

Citizen Assemblies Concept Proposed for Central OR

Deschutes - News, In the Press, News / By

HEATHER ROBERTS BEND, OR — A concept to engage the public in government policy decisions rarely seen in the U.S. could be coming to our area. City Club of Central Oregon Executive Director Kim Gammond says Citizen Assemblies are more common in Europe, “It’s a way for people to actually impact policy decisions beyond the one or two

Citizen Assemblies Concept Proposed for Central OR Read More »

Opinion: Citizen Initiative Review Commissions Provide Deeper Involvement in Democracy

In the Press / By

Guest opinion article written by Sue Malek for the Missoulian: Should we enact Citizen Initiative Review Commissions (CIRCs)* in Montana? A bipartisan bill in the Oregon Legislature established CIRCs in 2008. Twenty-four citizens, randomly selected to serve, are paid salaries and expenses for participation in groups that study initiative issues and publish a statement describing

Opinion: Citizen Initiative Review Commissions Provide Deeper Involvement in Democracy Read More »

Podcast // Facilitating Public Deliberation: Episode 32, Citizens’ Initiative Reviews with Linn Davis

Podcasts / By

From Facilitating Public Deliberation: Linn Davis leads Healthy Democracy’s program development and process design. He coordinates Healthy Democracy’s complex public processes, trains its facilitation teams, and consults on deliberative projects in the U.S. and abroad. In this episode, recorded prior to the pandemic’s impact, Linn explains the Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) and the skills needed for excellent facilitation

Podcast // Facilitating Public Deliberation: Episode 32, Citizens’ Initiative Reviews with Linn Davis Read More »

First Statewide Online Assembly Will Look at Coronavirus Recovery

In the Press / By

From Portland Tribune: Forty Oregonians, just under half the size of the Legislature, will meet online during the next six weeks to help chart a course for the state’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Chosen at random and reflective of the population, they will take part in a statewide assembly that mirrors Oregon’s decade-long citizen review

First Statewide Online Assembly Will Look at Coronavirus Recovery Read More »

Oregonians to weigh in on COVID-19 recovery issues in ‘virtual citizen assembly’

In the Press / By

From KTVZ News Channel 21: PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregonians from all walks of life will participate in the state’s first virtual Citizen Assembly to weigh in on what could be some of the state’s most important policy considerations in a generation. The virtual Citizen Assembly, a pilot project of nonpartisan, nonprofit Healthy Democracy and Oregon’s Kitchen Table, will

Oregonians to weigh in on COVID-19 recovery issues in ‘virtual citizen assembly’ Read More »

Citizens’ Initiative Review: Helping Citizens Make Better Informed Voting Choices

In the Press / By

From medium.com/participo: Linn Davis is a program manager at Healthy Democracy, a US-based nonpartisan non-profit that designs and coordinates deliberative democracy programs. He manages the Citizens’ Initiative Review program, as well as design and outreach for emerging local government and high school programs. The Citizens’ Initiative Review is a unique deliberative process. In the OECD’s forthcoming

Citizens’ Initiative Review: Helping Citizens Make Better Informed Voting Choices Read More »

From ancient Athens to the town hall: Can a new wave of deliberative democracy save the world?

In the Press / By

From Salon: . . . What’s a good regional example? At the regional/state level, it is worth highlighting the impact of the Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) model, which has been institutionalized in Oregon — and is now required before a ballot measure — and has been piloted in numerous other states, as well as in Finland and

From ancient Athens to the town hall: Can a new wave of deliberative democracy save the world? Read More »