The Citizens' Initiative Review: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who would run the Citizens' Initiative Review?
Once enacted, the CIR will be conducted as an independent entity under
the Executive Branch of our state government. It will be managed by an
independent Board of Commissioners and professionally staffed.

2. Why will the Citizens' Initiative Review be a part of government?
If the CIR were sponsored by a nonprofit group or other private entity,
it could become subject to the influence of that group. Oversight by a
citizen-based board and a careful evaluation process help to ensure
that the CIR will retain the necessary degree of independence from
partisan politics.

3. Who are the people who participate in the review?
For each measure reviewed, 18 - 24 panelists are randomly chosen from
the list of registered voters in the state. They are not self selected
and they are not selected by government officials, rather they are
selected through methods of scientific random sampling (much like a
jury). As such, individually they represent only themselves, but as a
group represent a microcosm of the state of Oregon.

4. How are the participants selected?
Citizens will be chosen using scientific methods of random sampling and
then contacted to determine if they are willing to participate on the
review panel. From those who agree to serve, a large pool of several
hundred potential panelists will be identified. From that pool, 18 - 24
panelists and several alternates will be selected to create a microcosm
of the state that resembles the citizens of Oregon in terms such as
age, education, partisan affiliation and geography. In order to ensure
greater participation living-wage stipends will also be provided for
all panelists.

5. What makes this process trustworthy and free from political influence?
Great care has gone into designing the Citizens' Initiative review.
First, the participants are randomly chosen, rather than self-selected
or selected by anyone who has a stake in the outcome of the review.
Therefore, the panelists are not hindered by having an agenda. Second,
the review process is professionally facilitated by trained staff, who
have no stake in the outcome. Third, at the conclusion of the review,
participants in the review process provide feedback on any perceived
bias in the process. This feedback is provided to the CIR Board of
Commissioners, and the public for review.

CIR panelists’ reports will be trustworthy because they are what they
say they are: the result of a group of everyday citizens from across
the state conducting an in-depth examination of a state policy problem
and its solution as proposed in an initiative. No interest group or
political party will be determining what the panelists decide or
present to the public; indeed, the panel may be split as to their
conclusions for or against a specific initiative, and the reasons for
those differences will be presented in the published reports.

6. What makes this process fair and balanced?
The opposing sides of an initiative will be given equal opportunity to
present their arguments and evidence. The CIR staff will be
professionals whose primary responsibility will be to conduct the
citizens panels in a fair and balanced way. The panelists will be asked
to participate only a few weeks after they are chosen, and their names
will not be released prior to the panel discussions. In addition, like
a jury, the panelists will be asked not to discuss with people outside
of the process any of the proceedings while they are taking place.

7. What will the review process specifically entail?
During three to five day hearing, panelists hear from a variety of
witnesses selected by the proponents and opponents of the initiative.
They may also hear a few witnesses who can provide background
information on the issue. The hearings are facilitated by trained
staff, with every effort made to insure that the staff does not bias or
influence the hearings. The panelists will deliberate and then issue
their findings and conclusions.

8. What will voters get from Citizens' Initiative Review?
In their report, the panelists will explain why they favor or oppose
the initiative. Participants from each position will list the main
reasons the panel found for their position, along with additional
considerations. These conclusions will be summarized alongside the
definition of the ballot measure being review in the Voters Pamphlet
and made widely available to the public.

This evaluation will not tell people how to vote. The aim is to show
how a microcosm of the public feels about an initiative after having a
special opportunity to study it closely.

9. Why will CIR have an effect on the initiative process?
The most powerful democratic tool in the hands of citizens is the vote.
That is why special interests spend so much money to shape the debate
at election time. Public policy is driven by those who are able to
control the swing vote. The Citizens' Initiative Review is designed to
create a swing vote based upon a reasoned analysis, with the hope that
this can counteract the swing vote now driven by sound bytes and
questionable information.

Implementing a citizens initiative review makes it much more likely
that ballot measures must be reflective of what a well-informed public
actually wants before the measure can pass. Once the CIR process is in
place, special interests will begin to recognize that Oregon is a
difficult state in which to pass initiative legislation that is out of
balance with the public interest.

10. What makes CIR an efficient reform proposal?
The Citizens' Initiative Review is designed to address problems of the
current political system as these impact initiatives. Too often
informed political dialogue gives way to spin and to misinformation
backed by millions of dollars. This makes it very difficult to
understand what an initiative really is going to do. Because the U.S.
Supreme Court has ruled that financial contributions cannot be limited
in initiative campaigns, traditional campaign finance reform proposals
cannot be applied. Therefore the CIR approaches the problems in
initiative campaigns through increased disclosure and informed
deliberation. The CIR is designed to give everyday Oregonians the
opportunity to take a close look at what will be on the ballot and then
share what they have learned with their fellow voters.

Many voters feel frustrated when faced with complicated and confusing
initiatives on the ballot. For these voters, the CIR report in the
Voters Pamphlet from people like them who have studied the initiative
will be a big help. The pro and con statements currently in the Voters
Pamphlet are often so cleverly written that they are not much help in
deciding how to vote.

11. Do other states have a review process like this one?
None of the states that have an initiative process have implemented a
citizen-based review of initiatives. The review process itself however
has been utilized over the past 3 decades to assess public policy in a
wide variety of settings. The state of Washington is currently
considering CIR legislation nearly identical to the Oregon CIR bill.
Oregon was the first state to use citizen initiatives, let’s make it
the first to review citizen initiatives.