Voice of the People’s Vox Populi newsletter updates you on efforts to give the American people a more effective voice in the policymaking process through innovative methods and technologies, as well as keeping you informed on approaches to public consultation used by others around the world.

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Vox Populi Archive

Issue #21 – January 2024

  • 200+ Policy Positions Supported by Bipartisan Majorities
  • Congressional Stock Trading Ban At Forefront in 2024
  • New Survey Shows Low Satisfaction With Democracy Among Americans
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Participatory Democracy is New Focus of Jamaica’s People’s National Party
  • Wisdom of Crowds: Better Business Decision-Making
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Ranked Choice Voting
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Banning Stock Trading for Members of Congress

Issue #20 – December 2023

  • Issue Polling Predicts Results of 2023 Ballot Initiatives
  • 200+ Policy Positions Supported by Bipartisan Majorities
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Groundbreaking Cambridge University Research on the Power of Deliberative Town Halls
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Public Consultation’s Impact on the 2024 GOP Presidential Primary
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Substance Use Treatment
  • Supporting our work this holiday season!

Issue #19 – October 2023

  • Our New Series in The Fulcrum Highlights Common Ground of the People
  • Presidential Centers Call for Protection Of Democracy
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Ireland’s Citizen Assembly on Drugs Completes Deliberation
  • Study: Legislators More Likely to Vote with Constituents When Informed of Opinion
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Immigration

ISSUE #18 – August 2023

  • Majorities of Republicans and Democrats Back U.S. Military Aid to Ukraine
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Civic Innovation Is Flourishing In Global Cities
  • CMF Democracy Award Winners Announced
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: US Military Aid to Ukraine
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Republicans’ Opinion of Ukraine Aid

ISSUE #17 – July 2023

  • Widespread Press Coverage for Survey Finding Bipartisan Support for Ban on Stock Trading for Members of Congress and President
  • Bipartisan Backing for Prohibiting Sales of Property to Affiliates of Foreign Adversaries
  • Public Consultation Around the World: South Korean Deliberative Poll Finds Overwhelming Support of Electoral Reform
  • Fix Congress Caucus Aims To Improve Congressional Operations
  • Public Opinion on the Supreme Court’s 2023 Decisions

ISSUE #16 – June 2023

  • Financial Times’ Columnist Advocates for Citizens’ Juries and Assemblies
  • Ear to the People: VOP Launches Newsletter for Policymakers, First Edition on AI
  • Partnership With ActiVote Offers VOP Donation with Each Download
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Deliberative Democracy at Nobel Prize Summit
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Republican Subgroups on Minimum Wage

ISSUE #15 – April 2023

  • Public Consultation on Minimum Wage Garners National TV Attention
  • PPC Study on Term Limits Featured in Southeast Regional Outlets
  • New House Administration Subcommittee on Modernization
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Minimum Wage
  • Improving Understanding of Public Opinion
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Before Summit for Democracy, Organizations Issue Declaration Endorsing Public Consultation

ISSUE #14 – March 2023

  • Public Consultation in RealClearPolitics & Newsweek: Finding Solutions by Listening Instead of Point-Scoring
  • Study Finds Americans In Favor of Congressional Term Limits
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Term Limits for Members of Congress
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Armenia hosts its First Citizens Assembly

ISSUE #13 – January / February 2023

  • 117th Congress passes bills with large bipartisan public support
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Postal Service & Prison Phone Call Reform
  • Partnership with Democracy App, ActiVote
  • Public Consultation Around the World: First permanent Citizens Panel on climate change was launched in Belgium
  • Social Security: The renewed debate over America’s largest entitlement program

ISSUE #12 – December 2022

  • New Study Reveals Large Bipartisan Support for Restricting When Former Government Officials Can Lobby
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Lobbying Restrictions
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Brazil has been at the forefront of digital democracy
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Who Supports a 15-week abortion ban?

ISSUE #11October 2022

  • New Study on Abortion Policies Reveals Surprising Common Ground
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Views In States with Abortion Bans
  • Exciting New Partnership with Democracy App, ActiVote
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Government Role in Abortion
  • Threat to Democracy: Disconnect Between Public Will and Public Policy
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Citizen-Led Planning in an Italian City

ISSUE #10July / August 2022

  • NYT Story on Public Consultation Spreads Hope for Democracy
  • “How Do We Fix It” Podcast Features VOP and Public Consultation
  • Strong Bipartisan Majority Favors Funding for Mental Health Professionals to Respond to Mental Health-Related 911 Calls, Rather than Police
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Mental Health Diversion
  • VOP Spotlighted in Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress Hearing
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Digital Social Innovation Empowering Democracy in Taiwan

ISSUE #9June 2022

  • VOP Provides Expertise at Congressional Committee Roundtable
  • Washington Post Exclusive: Expansive Bipartisan Common Ground on Net Neutrality
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Net Neutrality
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Citizen Panels on Future of Europe

ISSUE #8April 2022

  • Should Congress Have Greater Power over Use of Military Force & Arms Sales?
  • Our Op-Ed in USA Today on the Vast Common Ground
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Congressional War Powers
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Ohio Citizens’ Jury Petition

ISSUE #7February / March 2022

  • ​​​​​​​Broad Bipartisan Support for US Engagement in European Security
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: US & NATO
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Council of Europe Looks to Deliberative Democracy in Georgia
  • Data Deep Dive: Ambivalence Towards US Membership in NATO

ISSUE #6January 2022

  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: The Public Trust Deficit Plaguing Democracies
  • NYC Solitary Confinement Clash Highlights Public Support For Limits
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Solitary Confinement
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Irish Citizen Assembly on Drug Policy

ISSUE #5December 2021

  • The Public Can Be a Stabilizing Force Across Administrations
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Nuclear Weapons Policy
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Public Agenda & USA Today Release New Common Ground Report
  • Public Consultation Around the World: World’s First Global Citizens Assembly

ISSUE #4November 2021

  • Unifying Approach to Discuss Politics During the Holidays
  • Net Neutrality Debate Back in the News
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Net Neutrality
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Our Climate Analysis in The Washington Post
  • Public Consultation Around the World: National deliberation in US reveals common ground on climate change policies

ISSUE #3October 2021

  • Public Views of 33 Reconciliation Budget Proposals 
  • Nuclear Guardrails on President Garner Public Support
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Young Republican Voters’ Views on Budget Reconciliation Proposals
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Citizen Assembly in Oregon addresses path back to normalcy after Covid-19
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Paid Family & Medical Leave

ISSUE #2 August 2021

  • Voters Supported Green Bank Nixed from Infrastructure Deal
  • New US Study Finds Widespread Support for Public Consultation
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Citizens’ Jury in Jersey Deliberates on Reforming Assisted Dying Laws
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Support for a Green Bank in Energy-Producing Districts
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Carbon Fee & Rebate

ISSUE #1 – June 2021

  • Prolonged Congressional Negotiations on Police Reform Proposals 
  • Engaging Citizens in Democracy
  • Data Analysis Deep Dive: Republican Views on Qualified Immunity
  • Try a Policymaking Simulation: Police Reform
  • Public Consultation Around the World: Citizens’ Assemblies in Scotland