2. Issues Forums By Steven Clift, E-Democracy.Org

3. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Agenda Perspective British Expedition – What they discovered How Issues Forums Work Participant Interviews Issues Forums Today

4. Perspective

5. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Defining e-democracy E-democracy is: –the use information and communication technologies and strategies –by “democratic sectors” –within the political processes of local communities, states, nations and on the global stage. –What’s missing? Political Groups Private Sector Government Media and Commercial Content

6. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Defining e-democracy E-democracy … –is now, what kind is it? –is accelerating “as is” politics –will promote active citizen participation only by taking the “e- citizen” perspective –E-Democracy.Org focuses on the that perspective, reaching across the political spectrum, embracing local geography Political Groups Private Sector Government Media and Commercial Content E-Citizens

7. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Say What? “The most democratizing aspect of the Internet is the ability for people to organize and communicate in groups.” Steven Clift from Democracy is Online article in, OnTheInternet, April 1998

8. The British Expedition

9. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if UK ODPM/E-democracy Project Visit July 2004 visit by Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and UK Local E-democracy National Project Visit Met forum managers, and citizen volunteers involved with local forums in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Winona “Gathered” samples to plant back in the UK National Project overview: –http://www.dowire.org/notes/?p=223http://www.dowire.org/notes/?p=223 Images from Northfield.org Visit

10. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if E-Democracy.Org History Launched world’s first election- oriented web site in 1994 Included citizen-to-citizen MN-POLITICS e-mail discussion forum, people kept talking after election Model localized with 1998 launch of Minneapolis Issues Forum Volunteer-based, non-profit community organization

11. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Why Issues Forums are Needed Effective citizen engagement – any time, anywhere agenda-setting Share community knowledge of public leaders and active citizens with all – civic learning Openness and accountability – accountability of citizens, the local media, and government

12. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Why Issues Forum are Needed Globally, most non-partisan “e-democracy” efforts are government-based, need cost-effective complement to e-consultations Most citizen efforts have an activist view point and advocate politically – often anti-something Many local forums are anonymous rough and tumble exchanges – “privately owned” spaces, few offer e-mail options Cost-effective starting point – provides e-citizen foundation for additional activities, priming effort

13. How Issues Forums Work

14. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Starting with “private” citizens moving toward public e-citizens Extensive personal e-mail networks exist – friends, family, co-workers How Issues Forums Work

15. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Local E-Democracy group creates the public “space”, defines charter (scope) Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer e-mails posts web view How Issues Forums Work

16. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Personal Networks CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer e-mails posts web view Subscribe once Commitment secured Recruit citizens, councillors, media, etc. with “sticky” opt-in How Issues Forums Work

17. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if How Issues Forums Work Participants agree to rules –Sign real name –Post no more than twice a day –Stay within scope of local charter –Understand that with two warnings they can be suspended for two weeks, three warnings six months, etc.. –Forum is facilitated, NOT pre-moderated, those posting content are 100% responsible for what they post

18. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Position forum in center of real power Personal Networks Political Activist Reporter Citizen #1 Mayor Citizen #2 Candidate Researcher City Council Neighborhood Leader Student Forum Manager Citizen #500 Gadfly CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer e-mails posts web view Post via e-mail/web e-publish, many-to-many How Issues Forums Work

19. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Issues Forums Agenda-setting discussions, “e-mail leaks,” facilitation and rule enforcement key Leader’s Office “Secondary Networks” e-mail forwards media agenda-setting Council Department Personal Networks Local Media Coverage Political Activist Reporter Citizen #1 Mayor Citizen #2 Candidate Researcher City Council Neighborhood Leader Student Forum Manager Citizen #500 Gadfly CitizensCitizens Issues Forum GroupServer e-mails posts web view Online discussions in the heart of local power Subscribe once Commitment secured Post via e-mail/web

20. E-Democracy Experience http://e-democracy.org/experience

21. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Dori from St. Paul Active citizens and “average” citizens raise their voices Ten minute “GSE” (Gopher State Ethanol) video at –http://e-democracy.org/experiencehttp://e-democracy.org/experience Dori Ullman raises her voice about the stench

22. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Jamal from Minneapolis Large Somali community in Minneapolis Their “voice” was missing despite past outreach Bus strike provided motivation and real world reason to join and post to forum Contacted by Mayor, media based on forum posts

23. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Mayor Rybak from Minneapolis In 2001, RT Rybak announced mayoral candidacy on forum before press conference Continues to post ~monthly Video clips –The Seven O'clock MeetingThe Seven O'clock Meeting –Budget Issues - InformingBudget Issues - Informing –Let’s Ski - Gathering IdeasLet’s Ski - Gathering Ideas –Two-way Won’t Kill YouTwo-way Won’t Kill You

25. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Steven Clift posted humorously about the “public health risks of a large squirrel population” in the Minneapolis forum’s early days. From Southwest Journal newspaper by Martiga Lohn Most days, mpls-issues is a substantive discussion of important public policy issues… However … here are a few excerpts from this burning issue … > Go to hardware store…buy trap…set track…kill squirrel. End of public policy question. > Grab a trap and KILL the squirrel????????? Why must we destroy a living thing as a solution? > Rocky and his friends are out of control. … If you want evidence, try to eat a sandwich on a bench in Loring Park. > Quit telling people to move their nasty attack squirrels to wooded areas (i.e., Minneapolis parks) — we already have our fair share. > I ran on an anti-squirrel platform for Student Legislature at Syracuse University in my freshman year in college. I promised to eradicate the nuisance squirrel population. It was my first election loss. Squirrel Story

26. Issues Forums Today

27. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Local Issues Forums Today Minneapolis – 694 membersMinneapolis St. Paul – 423 membersSt. Paul Roseville – 134 members, opened July 06Roseville Winona – 197 membersWinona Brighton and Hove – 242 membersBrighton and Hove Newham – 155 membersNewham KW Nhood, Bristol - 79 mbrs, opened Oct 11KW Nhood, Bristol Other communities are expressing interest, forming steering committees.

28. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if UK Pilots Experience Call for interest – Brighton & Hove, Newham emerge in early 2005 Guidebook produced –Steering committees –Charter and rules –Forum managers –Recruitment –Launch and facilitation GroupServer used, released open source Case study, evaluation, multimedia, etc.

29. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Brighton & Hove Today

30. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if GroupServer – E-mail/web Easy to find –By geography E-mail or web - your choice Technology enhancements –Share through open source –More: http://e-democracy.org/groupserverhttp://e-democracy.org/groupserver

31. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Sample Forum – Web View Entering reply here

32. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Sample Forum – E-mail View

33. How to Start One

34. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if How to Start One Watch “Experience” –http://e-democracy.org/experiencehttp://e-democracy.org/experience Read 60 Page Guidebook –http://e-democracy.org/ifhttp://e-democracy.org/if Join “Liftoff” –http://forums.e-democracy.orghttp://forums.e-democracy.org Contact E-Democracy.Org – Join “Class of 2007” Volunteer-based model that requires at least 4 citizens on your local steering committee

35. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if How to Start One Recruitment phase essential – if you can attract funding for an accelerated start-up, this is the a key area to dedicate resources for inclusivity Forum manager volunteer role crucial – avoid professionalizing core Issues Forum efforts to keep model extremely low cost Add-on special events and consultations may require funding with stipends or compensation E-Democracy.Org hosts shared GroupServer platform, building “Rotary Club” like chapter model

36. Conclusion

37. Issues Forums – e-democracy.org/if Conclusion This model is about your local democracy – it must be authentically local. Together we can build a global model for local democracy in the information age. Everything: –http://e-democracy.org/ifhttp://e-democracy.org/if