Sorted: Civic lotteries

A report that explains how sortition can lower the barrier to political participation and create a more powerful and direct role for citizens.

This pamphlet explores the impact of Ontario and British Columbia’s first Citizens’ Assemblies by examining the premise on which each assembly was based: the use of sortition or a ‘civic lottery’ to select citizens to participate in a binding public process.

By examining use of civic lotteries through history, the report explains how sortition can lower the barrier to political participation and extend a meaningful new franchise to citizens wishing to serve their communities. This report makes the case for reviving a neglected democratic tradition — one that works in partnership with existing institutions and elected legislators to create a more powerful and direct role for citizens.

Source: Mass LBP
Author information: Oliver Dowlen

Year of publication: 2008