Frequently Asked Questions
What is Citizens' Initiative Review?
Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) is a process of analysis based on the principles of deliberative democracy. This happens when randomly selected registered voters come together for a Citizens’ Panel to consider and discuss selected initiatives. They carefully determine potential effects initiatives might have, with the goal of providing non-partisan, trustworthy, easily understood information and language on difficult ballot initiatives. Those findings are then included in the voters’ pamphlet.
Members of the Citizens’ Panel attend a 4-to-5-day conference where they study, analyze and discuss the initiatives. In order to allow economic diversity panelists are paid for their time, and all travel, accommodation, food, and daycare expenses are covered. They receive training in deliberation and hear They receive training and testimony from independent, balanced, and fair-minded experts. Panelists can suggest experts and the final selection of experts is made by Healthy Democracy, a non-partisan group who will oversee and guide the process. The panelists also hear testimony from proponents for the initiative as well as those against. The panelists then collectively draft their Citizens’ Statement outlining key points, and pros and cons of the initiative. Finally, the Citizens’ Statement is published in the WA state Voters’ Pamphlet and is sent by the Secretary of State to all registered voters in Washington state to providevoters with clear, understandable guidance on how their vote can expect to affect the outcome.
What are the Benefits of CIR?
- CIRs correct misinformation allowing voters to be better informed.
- CIRs provide a balance of information other than paid advertising without favoring a special interest.
- CIRs provide voters with reliable, understandable, comprehensive, information by a panel of their peers.
- CIRs have been praised for empowering voters.
What are the Citizen Panels and how are they selected?
The Citizens’ Panel consists of a representative mix of 20 to 24 registered voters from the state’s demographics, including many under-served populations. Panelists are selected from a random group of registered voters which is narrowed via computer algorithm through a process of using sortition which results in a group that is balanced along key demographic categories.
These categories include age, gender, education, political ideology, race and ethnicity, social and economic status, location and voting history.
What is the Citizens' Statement?
Finally, through voting and consensus panelists then collectively draft their Citizens’ Statement outlining agreed upon facts, key points, and pros and cons of the initiative, to provide voters with clear, understandable guidance on the impacts of the initiative. This Statement is published in the WA state Voters’ Pamphlet which is mailed by the Secretary of State to all registered voters in Washington state.
How does CIR impact equity?
The citizens panel is by its definition much more equitable than most political decision-making bodies. The panels are microcosms of the state’s voters, with proportional representation across race, ethnicity, gender, and other key factors. Research across all levels of government find that elected representatives tend to be more white, male, old and wealthy than the population as a whole, whereas the CIR panel is intentionally representative of the electorate.
Additionally, most voters find initiatives confusing. But for certain populations such as immigrants, others for whom English is a second language and those without a college degree, they can be overwhelming and even intimidating. Too often this lowers their overall confidence as a voter and may cause them to not vote on an initiative or even not submit a ballot at all.