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E-Democracy.Org in not a technology organization.

E-Democracy.Org & the Story of Local Issues Forums Place Matters 06 • Oct. 19, 2006 Denver, Colorado Presented by: Tim Erickson tim@e-democracy.org 651-246-5045. E-Democracy.Org in not a technology organization.

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E-Democracy.Org in not a technology organization.

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  1. E-Democracy.Org & the Story of Local Issues ForumsPlace Matters 06 • Oct. 19, 2006Denver, ColoradoPresented by: Tim Ericksontim@e-democracy.org651-246-5045

  2. E-Democracy.Org in not a technology organization. We’re an organization of people using technology to strengthen & enhance democracy.

  3. Our Mission Expanded participation and stronger democracies and communities through the power of information and communication technologies and strategies.

  4. History • 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.

  5. History (continued) • 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. What Does it Look Like (Technology)? www.groupserver.org

  10. Public Issues Forum Close-up Mayor’s Office Local Media Personal Networks “Secondary Networks” City Department The Forumas multiplier,best contentforwarded City Staff Researcher Citizen #1 Student Reporter Send-Receive Public Sphere Citizen #2 Issues Forum E-mail group server sends posts direct to people and web archive Candidate You subscribe once Commitment made May post via e-mail Citizens Political Activist Citizen #500 Council Member Everyone is a citizen! Crazy Person Neighborhood Leader List Manager

  11. What’s Different? • Its E-mail (or Web) - It Comes to You • Our Volunteer Forum Managers • Our Rules • It Matters - Participants from all Four Legs of the Stool

  12. Rules: • Only 2 Posts Per Day • Be Nice - Be Civil • Sign Every Post With Your Full Name, and Neighborhood/Location

  13. Forum Manager(s): • Enforce rules • Encourage discussion • Model good participation • Seed discussion • Act as community organizers

  14. 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)

  15. How to set up a local Issues Forum? • Download our FREE guidebook? Amost everything we know about how to do it, is included there (URL is coming). • You can do this on your own. • Or, you can work with E-Democracy.Org • Technical support • Training / coaching • Peer to peer networks

  16. A local Issues Forum in10 simple steps? • Pick Your Democracy (Location) • Recruit Steering Committee & Forum Manager • Create Mission, Establish Rules, and Set Goals • Select Technology • Recruit - Recruit - Recruit

  17. A local Issues Forum in10 simple steps? 6. Involve the Community 7. Launch Publicity - Get the Word Out! 8. Facilitate and Manage 9. Be Patient and Persevere 10. Celebrate

  18. What else……? • Rondo Library Outreach Effort • Pioneer Valley Clean Energy Plan(Regional Issues Forum) • Knowle West Neighbourhood Forum • Newham Youth Initiative (Possible Partnership)

  19. Rondo Library Community Outreach • Basic Internet Skills • Podcasting • Workshops • Tabling

  20. Pioneer Valley Clean Energy Plan

  21. Knowle West Neighbourhood Forum

  22. Newham Young People Online

  23. Issues Forum Guidebook http://www.e-democracy.org/uk/guide.pdf More Resources http://www.e-democracy.org/uk/ Software we Recommend: http://groupserver.org (opensource)

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