HDO hires Mike Beard as Outreach & Research Coordinator

HEALTHY DEMOCRACY OREGON ADDS MIKE BEARD AS OUTREACH & RESEARCH COORDINATOR

Mike Beard has joined Healthy Democracy Oregon in the newly-created role of Outreach and Research Coordinator, announced co-directors Tyrone Reitman and Elliot Shuford.

Healthy Democracy Oregon is a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to strengthening citizen ownership of, and integrity to, the ballot initiative process through the Citizens' Initiative Review.

"Mike will help refine and implement the outreach strategy for the organization's main project in 2010, the Citizens' Initiative Review," Reitman said. The outreach work will include "community event organizing and public relations work with print and broadcast media and online," Shuford added.

Beard is well-known in media and political circles in Oregon. He has worked in print, television and radio as a reporter, editor, news anchor and manager. Additionally, Beard has managed communications for several state agencies, directed communications efforts for non-profit organizations and has consulted in media relations and crisis communications for both Democrats and Republicans.

The Citizens' Initiative Review is a reform to Oregon's initiative process that provides voters with clear, useful, and trustworthy evaluations of statewide ballot measures. For each Review, a panel of 24 Oregon voters is brought together from across the state to learn about, and publicly evaluate a measure on the ballot. The panelists are selected at random, and demographically balanced to fairly represent a cross-section of the entire state electorate. This panel participates in impartial hearings where campaign advocates and policy experts present the arguments and facts about the measures.

After several days of testimony and deliberation, the panelists draft a "Citizens' Statement" detailing the most important arguments and facts about the measure, as well as reporting how many panelists support or oppose the measure. The "Citizens' Statement" is then published as a prominent new page in the statewide Voter's Pamphlet. An extensive, and easily searchable, public archive of the evaluation is also established online.

"I believe the Citizens' Initiative Review will serve voters with trustworthy information and I'm excited to be joining the team here at Healthy Democracy Oregon," said Beard.

The next Citizens' Initiative Review will occur in August and will be evaluated by a team of researchers backed by a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Following a successful evaluation, Healthy Democracy Oregon's long-term goal is for the Citizens' Initiative Review to become a regular, ongoing public service for Oregon voters.
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