This page will be updated frequently.

Look here first:

• J.H. Snider, Citizens Assembly Blog.
• New American Foundation, "Citizens Assembly: an important vehicle for political reform", no date.
• Commonwealth Club and New America Foundation, "Reconnecting Californians to Their Government: A Forum on Citizen Assemblies", San Francisco, January 25, 2006. The panelists are Steven Hill, Gordon Gibson, Joseph Canciamilla, and Vikram Amar. To hear the audio, scroll down to "Uncut VoR Audio" and click on "Listen Now" or "Download mp3".

Press coverage of ACA 28, the Richman/Canciamilla proposal for a California Citizens' Assembly (most recent articles first):

• Raheem Hosseini, "Cutting out the middlemen", Policy Today, March 1, 2006, pages 10-12. Download the .pdf here.
• Jan Frel, "A Citizens' Assembly in the Golden State", Alternet, February 27, 2006.
• Alan Greenblatt, "The mod squad: Two California legislators pursue long-shot reform", Governing Today, February 2006. Scroll down to find the article title.
• Editorial, "A Citizens Assembly",Contra Costa Times, February 14, 2006.
• David Davenport, "The case for a citizens assembly", San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 2006. The author is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a faculty member at Peperdine University.
• Matthew Soberg Shugart, "Searching for the center: A citizens assembly for California?", Fruits and Votes, February 7, 2006. Essential reading, not just on the Citizens' Assembly idea, but also on why proportional voting is just as important to the political center as it is to the right and left.
• Alyson Noble, "Measure ACA 28 proposed to better represent unelected citizens", UC Davis California Aggie, February 3, 2006.
• Timm Herdt, "Gonna have a revolution: Richman seeks citizen panel to reinvent politics", Ventura County Star, February 1, 2006.
• Steve Geissinger, "Citizen advice panel pushed: Ideas for reform would go on ballot", Los Angeles Daily News, January 30, 2006.
• Steve Geissinger, "Lawmakers want Citizens Assembly: Bipartisan duo push radical approach to fixing California's problems", Oakland Tribune, January 29, 2006.
• Greenlining Institute, "Greenlining Supports 'Citizens Assembly' Legislation", Press Release, January 27, 2006.
• Lynda Gledhill, "Lawmakers promote 'citizens assembly' for California",San Francisco Chronicle, January 27, 2006.
• Edwin Garcia, "Lawmakers call for creation of citizens panel", San Jose Mercury News, January 27, 2006. This articles says California has 40 assembly districts and the Citizens' Assembly would have 80 members; the correct numbers are 80 districts and 160 to 170 members.
• Editorial, "Seeking reform? Look to the north", San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 2006.
• Daniel Weintraub, "Turning to the people to fix politics", Sacramento Bee, January 22, 2006.
• David Lesher, "California schemin': The Golden State needs big, bold ideas to solve the puzzle its future presents", San Francisco Chronicle, January 8, 2006.
• Lisa Vorderbrueggen, "New power ahead for state citizens?", Contra Costa Times, January 8, 2006.
• Editorial, "Plan would let citizens change state government", Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, January 5, 2006.
• Dan Walters, "If governor's looking for a cause, not a cop-out, here's an idea", Sacramento Bee, January 3, 2006.
• Editorial, "Everyone gets a shot", Santa Maria Times, December 29, 2005.
• Editorial, "A promising reform: If anyone knows how to fix state government, it ought to be the aggrieved", Long Beach Press Telegram, December 28, 2005.
• Dan Morain, "Plan would put reform in citizens' hands: Two lawmakers propose to let a panel of voters come up with ideas to restructure government", Los Angeles Times, December 26, 2005. On January 5, the Times published this correction, but it still doesn't get the British Columbia proposal exactly right.
• Bob Bauer, "Reform in California and the 'Citizens Assembly'", More Soft Money Hard Law, December 21, 2005. A sceptical view.
• Andy Furillo, "Overhaul of state electoral system sought: Legislation would create a 'citizens assembly' to propose changes to voters", Sacramento Bee, December 20, 2005.

Authors' statements on ACA 28

• Keith Richman and Joe Canciamilla, "It is the process that provides the credibility", Policy Today, March 1, 2006, pages 14-17. Download the .pdf here.
• Keith Richman, "California Citizens Assembly Fact Sheet", Assembly District 38 website, no date..
• Joe Canciamilla and Keith Richman, "Canciamilla And Richman Announce Legislation To Establish A California Citizens Assembly", Press Release on ACA 28, January 26, 2006.
• Keith Richman, quoted in "Ending the gridlock: How to get state government to provide leadership and smart public policy", San Diego Union Tribune, November 27, 2005.

Press coverage of the 2006 Ontario Citizens Assembly (most recent articles first):

• Chip Martin, "Electoral reform focus of local sessions today", London Free Press, June 3, 2006.
• "Towards fair elections", Brantford Expositor, May 30, 2006.
• Editorial, "Review of electoral system is overdue", St. Catherines-Niagara Standard, May 30, 2006.
• James Wallace, "Possible electoral overhaul starts at local level", Kingston Whig-Standard, May 27, 2006.
• Roger Belgrave, "People get a say about government", Brampton Guardian, May 21, 2006.
• "Voters will help decide if we need new electoral system", Brampton Guardian, May 21, 2006.
• Kenneth Kidd, "A democratic rethink", Toronto Star, April 16, 2006.
• Editorial, "Changing how we elect our MPPs: entrenched powers may not allow any meaningful change", Strathroy Age Dispatch, April 12, 2006.
• Eric Walton, "Accountability issue can be dealt with", Kingston Whig-Standard, April 8, 2006. No longer available on the web.
• Meikle Turner, "Change our unfair voting system", Kingston Whig-Standard, April 8, 2006. No longer available on the web.
• Dave Pink, "Chance for change looks hopeful", Waterloo Record, April 6, 2006.
• "Hidden dangers in electoral reform", Toronto Star, April 5, 2006. Abridged from the April 4 Thunder Bay Chronicle Herald, which doesn't appear to have a web site.
• Dan McCaffery, "Ontario tackles election reform: Ridings will have citizens appointed", Sarnia Observer, April 4, 2006. No longer available on the web.
• Editorial, "Democratic renewal", London Free Press, April 2, 2006.
• Lawrence Solomon, "Proportional vote: any choice but stability", National Post, March 31, 2006. More arguments we need to know how to answer.
• "Electoral update set", Sault Sainte Marie Star, March 29, 2006. No long available on the web.
• Editorial, "Change isn't always better", Sudbury Star, March 28, 2006.
No longer available on the web.
• Ian Urquhart, "Electoral reform proposal is a gamble: citizens' assembly to study vote system", Toronto Star, March 28, 2006. This article and the Star's editorial on the same day present the argument against electoral reform; see next entry below.
• Editorial, "McGuinty's risky electoral rethink", Toronto Star, March 28, 2006. Strongly against proportional voting; it's important to read this because we can't respond to these arguments without knowing what they are.
• Antonella Artuso, "Eye on democracy: citizens assembly to examine Ontario's electoral system", Toronto Sun, March 28, 2006.
• Terry Weber, "Citizens' assembly to review Ontario electoral system", Toronto Globe and Mail, March 27, 2006.
• Gillian Livingston, "Former Ont. judge to assist in review of electoral process", Canadian Press, March 27, 2006.
• "McGuinty Government Moves Forward On Historic Electoral Reform Initiative", Canada News Wire, March 27, 2006.

Official announcements from Elections Ontario about the Ontario Citizens' Assembly:

• "Elections Ontario selects the first members for the Citizens' Assembly", Canada News Wire, May 30, 2006.
• "First member of Ontario Citizens' Assembly selected", Canada News Wire, May 29, 2006.
• "Media Advisory - Citizens' Assembly Selection Meetings Begin", Canada News Wire, May 25, 2006.
• "More than 120,000 Ontarians targeted in first mail-out for Citizens' Assembly selection process", Canada News Wire, April 26, 2006.

The 2003 British Columbia Citizens' Assembly (most recent articles first):

• Les Leyne, "B.C. switches decision day", Victoria Times-Colonist, May 29, 2006.
• John McKenzie, "The will of the people", Prince George (B.C.) Free Press, May 3, 2006. A good example of how superficial arguments against proportional voting sometimes are.
• Tom Fletcher, "2009 more likely for B.C. vote on STV question", Abbotsford (B.C.) News, May 2, 2006.
• "Referendum on electoral process in B.C. delayed to 2009: Premier", Macleans, April 27, 2006.
• Leslie Vryenhoek, "Doing democracy differently", Memorial University of Newfoundland Gazette, February 23, 2006.
• J. H. Snider, "Exciting news concerning the citizens assembly proposal in the Netherlands", Citizens Assembly Blog, February 13, 2006.
• "Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform (British Columbia)", Wikipedia entry, n.d..
• Steven Hill, "In Canada, regular folks are put to work on reforms", San Jose Mercury News, November 16, 2005.
• Bob Bauer, "Redistricting Reform Blues", More Soft Money Hard Law, November 16, 2005. Bauer is sceptical about the model.
• Heather Gerken and Christopher Elmendorf, "Next time, start with the people", Balkinization, November 10, 2005. See also their reply to a critic on Profsblawg, November 11, 2005.
• Andre Blais, Kenneth Carty and Patrick Fournier, "Citizens' Choice of an Electoral System: The Decision of the BC Citizens' Assembly", Paper presented at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, September 2005.
• Jim Stauffer,"Citizens' assembly: a new model for electoral reform", Voice for Democracy, Summer 2005.
• "Declan", STV for BC - Vote Yes!. This blog includes an especially thorough selection of links to coverage of the British Columbia referendum on choice voting.
• FairVote - The Center for Voting and Democracy, "California Citizens' Assembly", FairVote California Reform Initiative, Spring 2005.
• Matthew Soberg Shugart, "An intriguing idea for election reform goes to a vote today in British Columbia", San Jose Mercury News, May 17, 2005.
• "Canada's new voting system",Crikey (Australia), May 9, 2005.
• FairVote - The Center for Voting and Democracy,"BC-STV: The British Columbia Campaign for Choice Voting", FairVote Program for Representative Government. Includes many links to articles in the Canadian press.
• Gordon Gibson, "Report on the Constitution of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform", Consultant's report to the goverment of British Columbia, December 23, 2002.

Elsewhere in Canada:

• Editorial, "The next phase of the electoral reform debate," Charlottetown (P.E.I) Guardian, May 5, 2006.
• Caitlin McIntyre, "Citizens assembly on Island is required to restart electoral reform, say advocates", Charlottetown (P.E.I.) Guardian, May 1, 2006.

General and theoretical articles:

• National Civic League, "Should Politicians Be Trusted To Design Their Own Electoral Systems?", press release, January 24, 2006.
• J. H. Snider, "Solving a Classic Dilemma of Democratic Politics: Who Will Guard the Guardians?", National Civi Review, Winter 2005.
• John Ferejohn, "The Citizens' Assembly Model", unpublished manuscript, December 2005. The author is a professor of political science at Stanford.
• Dennis F. Thompson, "Who Should Govern Who Governs? The Role of Citizens in Reforming the Electoral System", unpublished manuscript, October 1, 2005. The author is a professor of government at Harvard and author of Just Elections: Creating a Fair Electoral Process in the United States..

Last updated June 3, 2006