Citizens’ Assemblies 101

Citizens’ Assemblies (CAs) are a democratic innovation that bring together a diverse group of residents, selected randomly through a civic lottery, to deliberate on public policy issues. This practice involves several phases: learning from experts, discussing and debating different options, and ultimately making recommendations. By incorporating a representative sample of the population based on key demographics, Citizens’ Assemblies offer an alternative and supplement to traditional representative democracy. They aim to counteract political polarization and elitism, providing a platform for informed, collective decision-making on important societal issues. In this introductory webinar, we’ll explore the fundamentals of Citizens’ Assemblies (CAs) and their role in modern democracy.

This webinar will provide a comprehensive overview of how Citizens’ Assemblies work, their history, and their impact on public policy. Speakers will provide an overview of CAs, including their: (1) Potential to alleviate political polarization and enhance civic engagement; (2) Purpose to provide innovative solutions to complex policy issues; and (3) Process for selecting participants, providing expert consultations, and facilitating productive discussions, and deliberations. Attendees will also learn from real-world cases where Citizens’ Assemblies have successfully influenced policy decisions and brought communities together. Moderator: Matt Leighninger, Director, Center for Democracy Innovation, National Civic League Speakers: Marjan H. Ehsassi, Executive Director, Federation for Innovation in Democracy – North America Brandyn Keating, Founder and CEO, YOUnify Jillian Youngblood, Executive Director, Civic Genius