WHY CIVIC ASSEMBLIES?
What makes Civic Assemblies Unique?
Civic Assemblies go by many names: citizens' assembly, policy jury, mini public. They all have two key elements that put residents at the center of governance.: lottery selection and deliberation.​
Lottery selection keeps the assembly independent and politics-free, and ensures its composition is reflective of the general public in terms of age, gender, location, race, and other factors.
Deliberation provides panelists ample time, access to experts and balanced information. They weigh their values and policy options in a supportive environment to find common ground.
How does the assembly work?
1
Participants are selected by Democratic Lottery to reflect the demographics of the general public.
2
The assembly is given time for Learning and In-depth Deliberation, with experts on tap but not on top.
3
The assembly recommends polices, determined by supermajority, and delivers them to decision-makers.
Can you trust random people?
We have enough experience to know that when you do, they strive to be worthy of that trust. There have been nearly 1000 assemblies selected by lot internationally over the past few decades, deciding complex public issues that have stymied elected bodies. In most cases, the convening bodies implement the solutions proposed. And the community at large trusts assembly decisions because they know they were made by ordinary people just like themselves.
Over the past two decades, over 1,000 civic assemblies have been conducted world wide
Here's a look at a recent assembly
"When given the authority, time, and information, everyday people take the tough questions, side-step party lines, and deliver sensible answers."
NewDemocracy