Center for New Democratic Processes (formerly known as Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes) is a left-of-center group created by Ned Crosby, the founder of Healthy Democracy and the popularizer of the “Citizens Jury” concept. ¹

Background

In 1971, Ned Crosby, a political scientist working on his doctoral dissertation, developed the concept of a Citizens Jury, through which voters could discuss public policy and candidates “that would enhance reason and empathy.” In 1974, Crosby founded the Center for New Democratic Processes, then known as the Jefferson Center, to develop the Citizens Jury concept further. ²

Jefferson Center conducted a series of “Citizens Juries” on topics ranging from water treatment to low-income housing. These “juries” identify community problems, propose legislative fixes, and then poll citizens to measure their response before conducting a formal referendum on whether to implement a proposed solution. ³ The citizens discuss the pros and cons of the proposals, allowing for representatives, candidates, or public figures involved with the initiative at hand to figure out how best to respond to citizens’ wishes. ^{4 5 6}

In the 2000s, Crosby and his wife Pat Benn conceived the idea of the “Citizens’ Initiative Review” (CIR), a stakeholder-oriented version of democracy that later became an initiative of Healthy Democracy, an institution affiliated with Center for New Democratic Processes. During this time, fewer Citizens Juries were conducted because Crosby was focusing on CIR. ^{7 8}

In 2021, Jefferson Center was renamed the Center for New Democratic Processes. ⁹

Activities

Center for New Democratic Processes works for a more transparent electoral process, including direct democracy, social democracy, and other left-of-center egalitarian principles. It claims to stand against “corporate interests, suppression of free speech, fake news, silencing of the press” and “intense partisan polarization.” ¹⁰

The chief way it works is through its “Citizens Juries,” which interpret referendums and proposed legislation, or alternatively draft new legislation based on identified problems in a community. The Center facilitates discussions and tracks the opinions of citizens through focus groups to get the community to sign off on a proposal that a politician or local leader can then turn into law. ¹¹

The Center lists all the citizens juries and other projects it has undertaken on its website, which have covered various subjects such as election reform, artificial intelligence, climate, healthcare, and autism research. ¹² Other projects include holding “climate change action” in small towns, creating a “media-community collaborative” across the state of Ohio, and “guiding” government reform in local legislatures. The Center also offers advising services to communities, “stakeholders,” and local governments on all aspects of getting legislation passed or starting local movements, from research and education to staff training and recruitment of experts. ¹³

Working with its partner group Healthy Democracy, also founded by Crosby, the Center for New Democratic Processes helped facilitate the first county-level Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR), a group of lottery-selected panelists who investigate ballot initiatives and report on their contents for the benefit of voters in a manner allegedly “removed from campaign messaging and financial influence.” ^{14 15} The CIR took place in Jackson County, Oregon with a panel of 20 voters. The subject matter was Measure 15-119, a proposed county-wide ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The panelists’ findings were printed and mailed to the residents of Jackson County. Voters approved the ban. ¹⁶ Researchers at Colorado State University and Penn State University analyzed the impact that the CIR mail had on the outcome of the vote. ¹⁷

Memberships and Partnerships

Center for New Democratic Processes is a member of the following organizations: ¹⁸

• International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)
• National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD)
• Democracy R&D
• Independent Sector
• Bridge Alliance
• Gather

Since 2018, the Center has partnered with the following organizations, corporations, and institutions: ¹⁹

• Ada Lovelace Institute
• Athens Democracy Forum
• City of Vancouver
• Information Commissioner’s Office, UK
• National Data Guardian (NDG)
• National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester
• United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS)
• NHS Gloucestershire Care Services of the NHS Foundation Trust
• NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group
• Pfizer
• Pierce Conservation District
• Puyallup Watershed Initiative
• University of Liverpool
• University of Manchester
• Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
• Welcome Trust

Funding

Center for New Democratic Processes receives funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Akron Community Foundation, Bush Foundation, Democracy Fund, Carolyn Foundation, George Gund Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Kettering Foundation, Knight Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Meta (formerly Facebook), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. ²⁰

Leadership

Ned Crosby became less active at Center for New Democratic Processes in the 2010s, resigning from the executive but remaining on the board of directors until he Crosby died in May 2022. ^{21 22} His wife Pat Benn continued to sit on the board of directors. ²³

As of 2022, the executive director was Kyle Bozentko, a policy and campaign advisor who formerly served on the board of International Association of Public Participation, on the MNSure (Minnesota) Healthy Industry Advisory Committee, and as co-chair of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium Executive Committee. He is a member of the State of Minnesota Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution Inaugural Advisory Committee. ²⁴

The Center has overseas operations, with its U.K. branch, “Citizens’ Juries c.i.c.,” directed by Malcolm Oswald. ²⁵

1. “Our History.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/our-history/.
2. “Our History.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/our-history/.
3. “How We Work – Citizens Juries.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/how-we-work/
4. “How We Work – Citizens Juries.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/how-we-work/
5. “Our History.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/our-history/.
6. “1990s.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/1990s/.
7. “Our Story.” Healthy Democracy. Accessed 10 July 2022. https://healthydemocracy.org/who-we-are/our-story/.
8. “Our History.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/our-history/.
9. “About Us.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/.
10. “About Us.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/.
11. “How We Work – Citizens Juries.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/how-we-work/
12. “Our Projects.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/projects/.
13. “About Us.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/.
14. “Our Story.” Healthy Democracy. Accessed 10 July 2022. https://healthydemocracy.org/who-we-are/our-story/.
15. “2010s.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/2010s/.
16. ^[1] “Jackson County Genetically Modified Organism Ban, Measure 15-119 (May 2014).” Ballotpedia. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://ballotpedia.org/Jackson_County_Genetically_Modified_Organism_Ban,_Measure_15-119_(May_2014).
17. “2010s.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/2010s/.
18. ^[1] “About Us.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/.
19. “Partners & Funders.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/partners-funders/.
20.  ^[1] “Partners & Funders.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/partners-funders/.
21. “Our History.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 17 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/our-history/.
22. Bozentko, Kyle. “Announcement on the death of our founder Ned Crosby.” Center for New Democratic Processes, 30 May 2022. https://www.cndp.us/announcement-on-the-death-of-our-founder-ned-crosby/.
23. “Our Team.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/our-team/.
24. “Our Team.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/our-team/.
25. “Our Team.” Center for New Democratic Processes. Accessed 18 July 2022. https://www.cndp.us/about-us/our-team/.