December 2010

  • Introducing a New HDO Staff Member
    admin
    December 29, 2010 2:19

    Heather Marek, Outreach CoordinatorWe are pleased to introduce the newest addition to the Healthy Democracy Oregon staff. Heather Marek is the Outreach Coordinator. She joined the Healthy Democracy Oregon team in the summer of 2010, assisting with the research, event coordination, and support to moderators in the August Citizens' Initiative Review pilot project.

  • CIR Receives High Marks in Evaluation
    admin
    December 22, 2010 12:28

    Praise, excellence, and high marks were in the headlines throughout the state this last week, after lawmakers on Oregon's House Rules Committee heard the results of the evaluation of the 2010 Citizens' Initiative Reviews. Lawmakers expressed gratitude after John Gastil, a professor of communication at the University of Washington, presented the findings. He and the research team conducted the rigorous evaluation, funded by the National Science Foundation, in order to determine whether the CIR is worth implementing on a permanent basis.

  • Voters Satisfied with Citizen Initiative Review
    admin
    December 20, 2010 3:02

    After an exhaustive evaluation, a team of university researchers reports that voters found the two Citizens' Initiative Reviews useful when making decisions about ballot measures. This was the first time voters had access to this innovative source of information. "We're very proud to know that this first round of Citizens' Initiative Reviews was well received by the voting public" said Healthy Democracy Oregon's Co-Director, Tyrone Reitman.

  • Citizens’ Initiative Review Makes History!
    admin
    December 2, 2010 2:44

    Another November has come and gone, but for Healthy Democracy Oregon, this year was very special. For the first time, high-quality citizen deliberation was directly connected to an election. Through the Citizens' Initiative Reviews, voters were empowered to participate in politics in a way they had never before experienced. In the words of one CIR panelist, "This is the first election I've actually been excited about in a long time." Preliminary findings from an independent evaluation show Oregon found the reviews empowering too. The CIRs provided a new public service to the state.