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Deciding who will decide: Assessing random selection for participants in E dmonton's C itizen P anel on budget priorities
Author(s) -
Mao Yuping,
Adria Marco
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
canadian public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.361
H-Index - 26
eISSN - 1754-7121
pISSN - 0008-4840
DOI - 10.1111/capa.12042
Subject(s) - residence , diversity (politics) , selection (genetic algorithm) , event (particle physics) , key (lock) , deliberation , business , political science , computer science , economics , demographic economics , computer security , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , politics , law
Selecting participants is a key component in the design, operation, and outcomes of public‐deliberation events to reflect the diversity of opinion in the larger public. This article examines how the C ity of E dmonton selected the members of its C itizen P anel on budget priorities in 2009 to inform E dmonton's 2010–2011 budget. The organizers relied on random selection stratified by gender, age, length of residence in the city, educational attainment, and income. This article also reports on the findings from pre‐event and post‐event public‐opinion surveys sent to 5,000 citizens. It argues that the selection method for the C itizen P anel was justified because there were distinct views on key issues among different groups of citizens.