Deliberative Polling^®

Citizens are often uninformed about key public issues. Conventional polls represent the publics surface impressions of sound bites and headlines. Deliberative Polling^® is an attempt to use television and public opinion research in a new and constructive way. The polling process reveals the conclusions the public would reach, if people had opportunity to become more informed and more engaged by the issues.

Case Studies

	ASSCU: American Democracy Project – How might Deliberative Polling® be used on college campuses to engage students, faculty, staff, and/or members of the broader community in discussions of public issues?
	Bulgaria – A national random sample of the citizenry was brought to a single site to deliberate for a weekend on a crucial social issue – Policies toward the Roma in Bulgaria.
	By the People: Americas Role in the World – CDD and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions have conducted deliberative polls on issues facing the citizens of the United States such as U.S. foreign policy, health care, education and citizenship in the 21st century.
	California: San Mateo Countywide Assembly on Housing Choices – Is there a critical housing shortage in San Mateo County? If so, what should be done about it?
	Energy Choices – Vermont, Nebraska, Texas and Nova Scotia have used Deliberative Polling® to give guidance on how their state/province should meet its future electricity needs.
	European Union – What would ordinary Europeans think, if they all came together in the same room? How would their views on the future of Europe change, after a balanced confrontation of their different visions?
	China – Deliberative Polling® allowed the residents of Zeguo township to impact the budgetary decisions of their local government.
	Greece – One of the two leading political parties in Greece, PASOK, used Deliberative Polling® to select its candidate for mayor.
	Hungary – Citizens of Kaposvár, Hungary deliberated on on the topics of employment, job creation and the employment policy of the European Union.
	Italy – Citizens of Regione Lazio participating in the first Italian Deliberative Poll became more informed about health care, education and ethics.
	Northern Ireland – For the first time ever, a scientific random sample of parents in Northern Ireland deliberated about a serious public policy issue – their children's educational future.