Making Referendums Safe for Democracy: A Call for More and Better Deliberation

Abstract

In this essay I argue that when thinking about the design of referendums we should pay particular attention to the quality, substance, and inclusiveness of the debate and deliberation that precedes the vote. This is especially true for constitutional referendums that affect fundamental laws. I suggest that drawing out the procedure over time and including citizens’ mini-publics might be helpful additions to our design tools box.