American elections – especially in swing states – are bitter, uninformative experiences. Many of us, even those who vote consistently, feel alienated and marginalized by campaigns and the media coverage around them. Campaigns often drive people apart, instead of allowing citizens to focus on our shared goals. Although this may work for video views and buzz, this doesn’t work for our democracy, and clearly, Americans are frustrated.
At the Jefferson Center, we think it’s time for more substantive, engaging conversations about politics and elections. That’s why, leading up to the 2016 Presidential election, we worked with the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron and a collaborative of Ohio media organizations to launch Informed Citizen Akron, and Your Vote Ohio across the state.
PROJECT SNAPSHOT
- Location: Akron, Ohio + Statewide
Scope: Statewide
History: June – November, 2016
No. of Citizen Juries: 3
No. of Citizen Jury Days: 3 days each
No. of Participants: 18 each
Targeted Participants: Summit County residents
Recruitment: random selection
Target Outcome: public report
Partners & Funders
We partnered with the Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at The University of Akron and a group of Ohio media organizations led by the Akron Beacon Journal. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation – which supports transformational ideas to promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, and engage communities – awarded grant funding for the project.
Our Approach
To provide election coverage that focused on the issues that mattered most to Ohioans, we had to put voters first. That meant listening and reaching out to Ohioans directly, and asking them to tell the media what kind of coverage they wanted to see.
First, our partners at the Bliss Institute conducted four in-depth polls statewide. These polls assessed current Ohio attitudes towards campaigns and media coverage of the 2016 election.
Following the polls, our team at the Jefferson Center conducted 3 Citizen Juries in Akron. Participants learned about how media covers elections, discussed the issues and candidates, and recommended ways Ohio media could better cover candidates and issues, so voters can make more informed decisions at the polls.
The feedback and recommendations generated through the polls and Citizens Juries were used by our collaborative of media outlets. They began shifting their coverage beyond the horse race, and provided information that would resonate with readers daily lives. Journalists in the collaborative met regularly to discuss coverage and how they could meet the public’s information needs. You can see examples of their coverage at Your Vote Ohio.
Deliberation Process
In June, August, and September of 2016, we conducted 3 Citizens Juries with different groups of Akron residents. In each Jury, applicants were randomly selected to represent the population of Summit County, and were paid $400 to participate. Over the course of 3 days, Jurors listened to expert presentors, discussed the election, and generated recommendations. Each Jury was given a distinct charge:
- Informed Citizen Akron #1: Jurors identified ways Ohio media can provide better information about the issues that matter most to Ohioans.
- Informed Citizen Akron #2: Jurors discussed how Ohio media can provide better information about candidates and their stances on key issues.
- Informed Citizen Akron #3: Jurors explore the role or niche Ohio media might occupy in order to better serve communities across the state now and into the future.
Outcomes
The feedback from statewide polling and the recommendations from the Informed Citizen Akron participants shifted the traditional media coverage across Ohio. Coverage is typically dictated by negative campaigns and polarizing national stories. Instead, journalists in the Your Vote Ohio collaborative chose to focus on the priorities of citizens.
Informed Citizen Akron the work of the Your Vote Ohio media group led to more informed and engaged citizens, increased the level of trust between local media and residents, and provided a model for constructive collaboration between citizens and the media to create better journalism and more informed communities.
I have gained a lot of insight on media and journalism that I never knew existed. Seeing how much citizens like myself can help our communities by working with reporters makes me excited, and want to do more.”
-Informed Citizen Akron Participant
Recent Updates
This project was the foundation for our current media innovation and engagement project, Your Voice Ohio, a collaborative of over 50 news organizations responding to the information needs of their communities.