E-Democracy.Org & the Story of Local Issues Forums Place Matters 06 Oct. 19, 2006 Denver, Colorado...
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Transcript of E-Democracy.Org & the Story of Local Issues Forums Place Matters 06 Oct. 19, 2006 Denver, Colorado...
E-Democracy.Org & the Story of
Local Issues Forums
Place Matters 06 • Oct. 19, 2006Denver, Colorado
Presented by: Tim [email protected]
651-246-5045
E-Democracy.Org in not a technology organization.
We’re an organization of people using technology to strengthen & enhance
democracy.
Expanded participation and stronger
democracies and communities through the
power of information and communication
technologies and strategies.
Our Mission
• E-Democracy.Org began in 1994 as a volunteer driven initiative to collect and share election related information on the “internet”
• Bit Bucket Brigade - Volunteers worked on election eve at the Secretary of States office to manually enter election returns onto a web site, where the public would be able to access the data.
History
• In 1994 E-Democracy.Org hosted a statewide listserve, where people could discuss the election. After the election, people kept on talking and we responded by creating the “Minnesota Politics” forum.
History (continued)
Minneapolis Issues Forum
• A few year years later, a local reporter who covered local issues suggested that forums like MPD could have a much stronger impact at a local level. He launched the Minneapolis Issues Forum and volunteered to be the Forum Manager.
What is a Local Issues Forum?• Online town hall meeting• Open to anyone• Participants set the agenda• Includes (4 Legged Stool):
– The Public– Local Media– Decision Makers– Bureaucracy
Why a Local Issues Forum?
• Citizen Participation– Flexible and convenient (anytime & anywhere)– Bring the meeting to citizens
• Access to Information– Poor coverage of local issues/events– Direct access to people with information
• Government Accountability• Media Accountability
What Does it Look Like (Technology)?
www.groupserver.org
Public Issues Forum Close-up
The Forumas multiplier,best contentforwarded
Mayor’s Office
“SecondaryNetworks”
City Department
PersonalNetworks
Local Media
Political Activist
Reporte
rCiti
zen
#1
City Staff
Citizen #2
Candidate
Res
earc
her
Council Member
Neighborhood Leader
Student
List Manager
Citizen
#500
Craz
y Pe
rson
Citizens
Issues ForumE-mail group server sends posts direct to people and web archive
Send-Receive Public Sphere
You subscribe onceCommitment madeMay post via e-mail
Everyone is a
citizen!
What’s Different?
1. Its E-mail (or Web) - It Comes to You
2. Our Volunteer Forum Managers
3. Our Rules
4. It Matters - Participants from all Four
Legs of the Stool
Rules:
1. Only 2 Posts Per Day
2. Be Nice - Be Civil
3. Sign Every Post With Your Full Name, and Neighborhood/Location
Forum Manager(s):
1. Enforce rules
2. Encourage discussion
3. Model good participation
4. Seed discussion
5. Act as community organizers
E-Democracy.Org now has (or will soon have)
volunteer lead local Issues Forums in:
• Minneapolis, Minnesota• St. Paul, Minnesota• Winona, Minnesota• Roseville, Minnesota• Newham, UK• Brighton & Hove, UK• Knowle West, Bristol, UK (Neighborhood)• Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts (Regional)
How to set up a local Issues Forum?
1. Download our FREE guidebook? Amost everything we know about how to do it, is included there (URL is coming).
2. You can do this on your own.3. Or, you can work with E-Democracy.Org
Technical support Training / coaching Peer to peer networks
A local Issues Forum in10 simple steps?
1. Pick Your Democracy (Location)2. Recruit Steering Committee & Forum
Manager3. Create Mission, Establish Rules, and Set
Goals4. Select Technology5. Recruit - Recruit - Recruit
A local Issues Forum in10 simple steps?
6. Involve the Community7. Launch Publicity - Get the Word Out!8. Facilitate and Manage9. Be Patient and Persevere10. Celebrate
What else……?
1. Rondo Library Outreach Effort2. Pioneer Valley Clean Energy Plan
(Regional Issues Forum)3. Knowle West Neighbourhood Forum4. Newham Youth Initiative
(Possible Partnership)
Rondo Library Community Outreach
• Basic Internet Skills
• Podcasting
• Workshops
• Tabling
Pioneer Valley Clean Energy Plan
Knowle West Neighbourhood Forum
Newham Young People Online
Issues Forum Guidebook
http://www.e-democracy.org/uk/guide.pdf
More Resources
http://www.e-democracy.org/uk/
http://groupserver.org (opensource)
Software we Recommend: