Local Emergent Polling Networks

These ad hoc networks are made up of citizens who are keenly interested in what their peers are thinking about a current issue. And they have the tools to prepare and put out quick online surveys to find out. Toward this end, the emergent democracy research project is offering free access to an online toolkit called ProtoGenie, including technical support for early users. This poll maker may become one of a set of tools in a citizens’ action toolkit. This citizens’ technology has no central organization and centralized list of e-mail addresses. Word about citizen tools will spread through natural social network processes, free of centralized management and control.

Citizen Connector Networks

This is a nationwide network of volunteer citizens who will act as “catalysts” for the dissemination of nationwide citizens’ polls. Email lists of volunteers initially will be compiled and secured by the EDem research project. Also, requests for polls initially will be processed by the research project, polls will be disseminated among the connector networks, and the project will analyze and publish the results. In the future, this process may be “deconstructed” and distributed more on the model of the Internet itself in which anyone can initiate a poll and have it reach large populations of citizens.

At this time, it is not known how citizens’ polls will best interface with the political system. The most immediate possibility is through existing public advocacy groups like Moveon.org. The most important concern is to connect with mediating organizations, while maintaining independence from them. For now, results will simply be summarized on the research project’s Emergent Democracy website. In the future, certain special channels may develop and it is possible that citizens’ networks will deliver information directly to Congress, the Whitehouse, and other governmental offices.

Complete the First Citizens’ Poll and Tell us What You Think About This New Idea

If you have not completed the first Citizens’ Poll on the 04 Election and on the idea of bottom-up polling, click on http://snipurl.com/Citizen. This whole thing about bottom-up polling is completely uncharted territory, so if you have questions or comments please contact the research project at contact us.