Imagine an election where the citizenry receives unbiased and informed information on a ballot issue before a vote. Would it alter the outcome?
It’s called “Deliberative Polling,” a concept advanced 16 years ago by Stanford University’s James Fishkin, co-author of several books including “Deliberation Day,” which suggests that an informed electorate might help shape legislative debates.
On Saturday, Sept. 27th, about 400 participants across the state will participate in the first statewide “Deliberative Poll on the Issue of Marriage in America.” Carnegie Mellon University, which houses the initiative with assistance from the Coro Center for Civic Leadership, is one of four host sites. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Program for Deliberative Democracy (SPPDD) will present the poll.
“Current polling and the media don’t allow for thoughtful political issues or debate,” explains Robert Cavalier, a Carnegie Mellon philosophy professor and SPPDD co-director. “It will be a remarkable achievement if we can get citizens across the state to come together and talk about sex, politics and religion in a civilized way.”
On the day of the program, people will come together and meet in smaller groups. “It’s been my experience that when people come together and talk to people they don’t usually talk to, they roll up their sleeves and work on it as opposed to initiating a debate or disagreement.”
While the PA legislation is in limbo, Cavalier hopes an echo effect could reach a larger, maybe national audience. California will vote on a referendum that would ban same-sex marriage this November.
“Pittsburgh might be in a good position to be one of the places where deliberate democracy is periodically practiced,” he adds. “It could be important for the region and state to demonstrate the power of this more deliberate form of democracy.”
Stay tuned for a Pop City follow-up on the findings of the first statewide Deliberate Poll.
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Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Robert Cavalier, Carnegie Mellon University