JEFFERSON CENTER (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.):

An Inventory of Its Records at the Minnesota Historical Society

Manuscripts Collection

Expand/CollapseOVERVIEW

Creator: Jefferson Center (Minneapolis, Minn.), creator.
Title:Jefferson Center records.
Dates:1982-2003.
Language:Materials in English.
Abstract:Administrative records and Citizen Jury recordings of the Jefferson Center, a non-partisan, non-profit political reform organization. Administrative records include board of directors and executive committee meeting minutes, financial files, marketing materials, and miscellaneous files. Citizens Jury series include transcripts and administrative materials but are primarily video recordings from several projects, especially America's Tough Choices: The U.S. Federal Budget Citizens Jury (1993), the Minnesota Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury (1990), and the Tim Penny Congressional Citizens Jury (1994). Correspondence and related papers from an Internal Revenue Service case regarding the Jefferson Center's status as a 501(c)(3) organization are also included.
Quantity: 11.5 cubic feet (12 boxes).
Location:See Detailed Description for shelf locations.

Expand/CollapseHISTORICAL NOTE

The Jefferson Center started in 1974 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Ned Crosby, political scientist and community activist, played a prominent role in founding the Jefferson Center. When it began the Jefferson Center was called the Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes and governed by a board of directors and a citizen's oversight panel.

The Center's purpose was to get the average citizen more involved in state and national politics, and to further inform public discourse through that involvement. The juries were developed by the Jefferson Center to help advance this purpose. Citizen juries generally consisted of 18-24 randomly selected U.S. citizens who functioned as a demographically representative sample of the U.S. population.

Meeting usually over the course of four to five days, juries examined prominent issues such as physician-assisted suicide, school clinics, the federal budget, health care, or political candidates. During moderated hearings consisting of discussions, witness testimony and dialogue with witnesses, jurors analyzed the issues in each case and presented their conclusions as verdicts. Jurors and witnesses were compensated for their time.

Conducting a citizens jury on political candidates and elections proved to be the Center's most influential projects and this activity gained national attention in the early to mid-1990s. This activity, however, threatened the status of the Center as a non=profit organization. Non-profits are not allowed to endorse political candidates. Of specific concern to the IRS were the payment of candidate advocates who participated as expert witnesses, their influence on verdicts issued by the juries, and the public perception that the verdicts endorsed one political candidate over another.

In 1993 the Internal Revenue Service informed the Jefferson Center that it would revoke its 501(c)(3) status, retroactive to 1990. The Jefferson Center fought the IRS for three years. In 1996 the IRS agreed to take no action against the Jefferson Center as long as it did not conduct Citizen Juries on political candidates and/or elections.

In 2002 the Jefferson Center closed its office and let its staff go, reducing the board of directors to three. In 2009 the board of directors increased to six. As of 2011 the Jefferson Center is based in Minneapolis with its 501(c)(4) partner, Promoting Healthy Democracy, and has a small staff. Ned Crosby has continued to serve on the board of directors.

Collapse/ExpandJefferson Center Citizen Juries

DateCitizens Jury
1974National Health Care Plan Citizens Jury
1976Presidential Election Citizens Jury
1981Presbytery Project on Peacemaking Citizens Jury
1984Agricultural Impacts on Water Quality Citizens Jury
1986Organ Transplants Citizens Jury
1988School-Based Clinics Policy Jury
1989St. Paul Mayoral Election Citizens Jury
1990Minnesota Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury
1990Arts in the Schools Citizens Jury
1991Low Income Housing Citizens Jury
1991Hennepin County: Minnesota Budget Priorities Citizens Jury
1992Pennsylvania U.S. Senatorial Election Citizens Jury
1993America's Tough Choices: The Federal Budget Citizens Jury
1993America's Tough Choices: Health Care Reform Citizens Jury
1994At-Risk Children: Yale University Citizens Jury on Campus
1994Tim Penny Congressional Citizens Jury on Welfare Reform
1994Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury
1995Traffic Congestion Pricing Citizens Jury
1995Hog Farming: Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges Citizens Jury on Campus
1996State and Local Fiscal Matters: Can we afford the future? Citizens Jury
1996Comparing Environmental Risks Citizens Jury
1997Minnesota's Electricity Future Citizens Jury
1997Issues in K-12 Education: Can we afford the future? Citizens Jury
1997Dakota County's Comprehensive Land Use Plan: How should we grow? Citizens Jury
1998Orono (Minnesota) Public Schools: Now and Into the Future Citizens Jury
1998River Falls Citizens Panel on Electoral Reforms
1998Physician-Assisted Suicide Citizens Jury
1999Citizens Jury on Minnesota Property Tax Reform
1999Citizens Jury on Chatfield (Minnesota) School District
2001Citizens Jury on Citizens Initiative Review
2001Citizens Jury on Metro Solid Waste
2002Citizens Jury on Global Climate Change
2005Citizens Jury on Community Engagement and Deliberative Democracy
2009Citizens Jury on Election Recounts

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Expand/CollapseSCOPE AND CONTENTS

the majority of the collection consists of records and video recordings regarding individual Citizens Jury projects. Additional materials include general administrative records consisting of board of directors meeting minutes, marketing materials, and financial files as well as files related to an IRS case challenging the Jefferson Center's status as a non-profit organization,

Citizens Jury records are arranged by Jury in chronological order. Administrative records are available for projects on the 1990 Minnesota gubernatorial election jury and the 1993 federal budget. These records reflect the operations involved in managing each project, including the selection of jury members and witnesses.

Jury sessions were taped and video recordings disseminated to news stations and other organizations across the country to increase interest and participation. Hours of footage were recorded during each Citizens Jury and then edited to produce programs that were sent across the country. The video recordings in this collection reflect these projects and the Citizen Jury process.

The best example of this process are the recordings made during the America's Tough Choices jury on the federal budget. The collection includes unedited footage recorded on Beta format with VHS copies.

Other examples include recordings made about the 1990 Minnesota gubernatorial campaign and the 1994 Tim Penny congressional campaign.

Additional video recordings include news highlights, juror interviews, and reports made by various television stations.

Some transcripts are also available for the America's Tough Choices projects on both the federal budget and health care costs.

A set of reports (1982-1999) provides a good overview of the work conducted by the Jefferson Center.


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Expand/CollapseARRANGEMENT

These documents are organized into the following sections:

General Administrative Records
Internal Revenue Case
Citizens Jury Records
Minnesota Gubernatorial Citizens Jury
St. Joseph's Citizens Jury
Philadelphia Citizens Jury
Pennsylvania U.S. Senatorial Citizens Jury
America's Tough Choices: The U.S. Federal Budget Citizens Jury
America's Tough Choices: Health Care Citizens Jury
New Jersey Gubernatorial Citizens Jury
Values Review Game: Children and Families
Tim Penny Congressional Citizens Jury on Welfare Reform
Traffic Congestion Pricing Citizens Jury
Crookston Citizens Jury: Issues in K-12 Education Evaluation
Reports
Miscellaneous Video Recordings


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Expand/CollapseADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Jefferson Center (Minneapolis, Minn). Records. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: 16,607

Processing Information:

NHPRC logo

Processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with a Basic Project grant awarded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Catalog ID number: 990074212670104294


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Expand/CollapseGENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

LocationBox
129.K.8.1B1Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting minutes, July 16, 1993-2000. 25 folders.
Board of Directors and Executive Committee meeting minutes, 1994-1997. 33 sound cassettes.
LocationBox
129.K.8.2F2Marketing:
Marketing plan.
Brochures.
Comments on Citizens Jury, 1993-1994.
Regarding Citizen Jury process, not a specific jury.
The People Themselves newsletter, 1989-1990.
Press releases, May 1990-1995. 7 folders.
Videos, 2003.
List of videos available from the Jefferson Center on the Citizens Jury process.
Financial files:
Tax audit: Financial statement and report to management, May 31, 1993.
Audit: Financial statement and report to management, December 31, 1994.
Miscellaneous:
1980s.
1982-2000. 3 folders.
Includes correspondence, memos and reports largely about long-range planning.

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Expand/CollapseINTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE CASE

Correspondence and documents related to the case.


LocationBox
129.K.8.2F2 1989-1994. 15 folders.
LocationBox
129.K.8.3B3 1994-1999. 4 folders.

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Expand/CollapseCITIZENS JURY RECORDS

Expand/CollapseMinnesota Gubernatorial Election, 1990

The Minnesota Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury was a joint project between the Jefferson Center and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota that focused on the issues pertaining to the 1990 gubernatorial race and the candidates. 72 jurors chosen for the state-wide project were divided into six 12-member panels.
LocationBox
129.K.8.3B3Newsletter: Citizens Jury Update, 1990-1998.
Administrative records:
Witnesses:
These files include lists of witnesses, their viewpoints, and related papers including correspondence.
Rochester.
Duluth.
Health.
Leadership.
Environment.
Economic Development.
Taxes, spending.
Education.
Youth development.
Crime.
Human service.
Prospective witnesses. 2 folders.
Information gathering.
Basic contact lists.
St. Cloud.
Unusable (potential news clips).
Rochester Citizens Jury notes.
Citizens Jury stationary.
Advisory Board.
Staff and schedule.
Timelines.
Biographies: Candidates.
One-page/post regional (pre-statewide).
Originals: Reports of juries and information sheets.
Citizen Jury basic functions.
Surveys. 3 folders.
Training.
Selecting jurors.
Topics: Survey results.
Juror letters.
Juror fact sheet.
Issues/witnesses originals.
Bluebook information.
Statewide background information.
Issues and witness possibilities.
ST: Letters to jurors.
Statewide: Background information newspaper search results.
Background information mailing.
Percentages: Balance of juries.
Regarding charter issues.
Carlson.
Grunseth.
Perpich.
All Jurors: Names, addresses, phones.
Statewide agenda.
Questions for Governor candidates.
Jurors:
Lists of jurors.
Statewide Jurors.
Duluth Jurors.
West Metro.
East Metro.
Core Metro.
St. Cloud jurors.
Duluth.
Minneapolis: West and Core Metro.
St. Paul: East Metro.
St. Cloud miscellaneous.
St. Cloud.
Rochester.
Candidates.
LocationBox
129.K.8.4F4Agendas.
Kelley position papers.
Hatch campaign literature.
Statewide background information.
Carlson position papers.
West Metro witnesses.
Metro witnesses by topic category.
Core Metro witnesses.
East Metro witnesses.
Perpich position papers.
Grunseth position papers.
Audits submitted by Carlson.
St. Cloud witnesses.
News highlights. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Press conference, 1990. 1 videocassette (VHS).
League of Women Voters. Citizens Jury of Northern Minnesota: Gubernatorial candidate appearances. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Day 1-Day 3. 9 videocassettes (VHS).
Jurors discuss major differences between the two Independent Republican candidates, education (administration, rules, and regulation), and are interviewed regarding their participation in the jury.
Citizens Jury, 1990. 1 videocassette (VHS).
LocationBox
129.K.8.5B5 October 25, 1990. 1 videocassette (U-Matic).
Day 1-Day 3. 11 videocassettes (Beta).

Expand/CollapseSt. Joseph's Citizens Jury, 1991

LocationBox
129.K.8.6F6Tour and questions, September 13, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Presentations, September 13, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).
St. Joseph's Home, September 20, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Press conference, September 30, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).

Expand/CollapsePhiladelphia Citizens Jury, 1992

LocationBox
129.K.8.5B5 September 27, 1992. 2 videocassettes (U-matic).

Expand/CollapsePennsylvania U.S. Senatorial Citizens Jury, 1992

LocationBox
129.K.8.6F6Newsletter: Citizens Jury Pennsylvania update, 1992.
News highlights and introduction day, 1992. 3 videocassettes (VHS).
Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Citizens Jury, 1992. 1 videocassettes (VHS).
Jefferson Center: Highest calling; 1992 Pennsylvania news clips; Tough choices. 1 videocassette (VHS).

Expand/CollapseAmerica's Tough Choices: The U.S. Federal Budget Citizens Jury, 1993

In addition to administrative materials and some transcripts, this series includes a large set of video recordings in both Beta and VHS formats. VHS tapes are labeled with a white label and appear to be copies of the Beta recordings. The Beta tapes carry a blue color-coded label. Each set is numbered and arranged following the original numbering. The blue set of Beta tapes matches the white set of VHS tapes, though some are missing from each set.
LocationBox
129.K.8.6F6Administrative records, 28 folders:
Briefing information.
Edit decision list.
News clippings.
Memos, letters, notes.
Advisors.
Juror lists and forms.
Speakers.
Jurors mailing.
Agenda.
Press releases.
Release form.
Project information sheets.
Little Rock funding list, December 1992.
Media communications.
National:
Broadcaster proposal: Tough choices.
Newspaper proposal: Tough choices.
Radio proposal: Tough choices.
Research.
Ned Crosby's testimony to House Budget Committee.
National: General tough choices proposal.
T.C. [Twin Cities/Tough Choices?] Jury recruiting: Statistical and demographic information.
Attendance sheets.
Jury evaluation form.
Budget jury.
T.C. final report.
Report on federal budget panel.
Media resource book: Sacrifices.
Juror resource book: Sacrifices.
Transcripts:
Values exercise, January 10, 1993.
Federal budget overview: Tom Stinson, Crosby, Sweeny, and Schier. 3 folders.
Nightline, ABC News:
Wrangling over the national budget: what to cut, January 12, 1993.
Defense panel, Side 23-26, January 12-13, 1993. 4 folders.
Citizens Jury, side 24, side 26, January 12, 1993. 3 folders.
LocationBox
129.K.8.7B7Citizens Jury: Tough choices, January 1993. 2 videocassettes (VHS).
Citizens Jury: Tough choices: Juror invitation. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Citizens Jury, Spring 1993. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Policy and election jury, Spring 1993. 2 videocassettes (VHS).
White set: Nos. 2B-27B. 26 videocassettes (VHS).
No. 1 missing.
LocationBox
129.K.8.8F8White set: Nos. 28B-55B. 22 videocassettes (VHS).
No. 49A included. Nos. 32B-37B and 47B missing.
LocationBox
129.K.9.1B9Blue set: Nos. 2B-29B. Sunday January 10, 1993-Tuesday January 12, 1993. 28 videocassettes (Beta).
No. 1B missing.
LocationBox
129.K.9.2F10Blue set: Nos. 26B-50B, Tuesday January 12, 1993-Thursday January 14, 1993. 20 videocassettes (Beta).
Nos. 32B-37B missing.
Green set. 5 videocassettes (Beta).
Days 1-3, 5. Includes interviews of jurors, discussions with and about Senator David Pryor.
Citizen Jury animation. 1 videocassette (Beta).
Citizen Jury graphics, November 1993. 1 videocassette (Beta).

Expand/CollapseAmerica's Tough Choices: Health Care Citizens Jury, 1993

LocationBox
129.K.9.3B11Transcripts, October 10-14, 1993. 11 folders.
Roger Mudd report on health care, 1994. 1 videocassette (VHS).

Expand/CollapseNew Jersey Gubernatorial Citizens Jury, 1993

LocationBox
129.K.9.3B11Press release, June 16, 1993.

Expand/CollapseValues Review Game: Children and Families, 1994

LocationBox
129.K.9.3B11Setting, notes, goals.

Expand/CollapseTim Penny Congressional Citizens Jury on Welfare Reform, 1994

Jury sponsored by Representative Tim Penny held in Winona, Minnesota.
LocationBox
129.K.9.3B11Monday-Saturday, June 1994. 18 videocassettes (VHS).

Expand/CollapseTraffic Congestion Pricing Citizens Jury, 1995

LocationBox
129.K.9.4F12 Undated, June 6-10, 1995; September 28, 1995. 3 videocassettes (VHS).

Expand/CollapseCrookston Citizens Jury: Issues in K-12 Education Evaluation, 1997

Part of Issues in K-12 Education: Can we afford the future?
LocationBox
129.K.9.4F12Internal report and survey.
Random selection.

Expand/CollapseReports

LocationBox
129.K.9.4F12Explorations in decision making: Draft, by Ned Crosby and Karen Heegaard, August 1982.
Explorations in decision making: an analysis of a small group decision on El Salvador, by Ned Crosby and Karen Heegaard, August 1983.
Final report: policy jury on school-based clinics, August 1988.
Minnesota Gubernatorial Citizens Jury: how the print media saw it, 1991.
Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes: technical advice request, May 31, 1991.
America's Tough Choices Citizens Jury: report on "Sacrifices?" panel, January 10-14, 1993.
Citizens Jury on Orono Public School: now and the future: Press, 1997.
Citizens Jury Handbook, Summer 1997.
A communications audit conducted for Jefferson Center: Final report, January 1998.
Citizens Jury: Minnesota property tax reform, August 2-6, 1999.
Citizens Jury: Chatfield public school final report, September 1999.

Expand/CollapseMiscellaneous video recordings

LocationBox
129.K.9.4F12Almanac Extra: Jury 301. 1 videocassette (U-Matic).
Almanac extra: policy jury. 2 videocassettes (VHS).
Almanac extra: survive.
An enemy among us. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Jefferson Center loop. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Jurors L. of witnesses, first day of Pittsburgh hearings, 9 a. m. 1 videocassette (VHS).
MacNeil/Lehrer news hour: must parents know? 1 videocassette (VHS).
Men, women, sex, and AIDS. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Nova: down on the farm. 1 videocassette (VHS).
People for the American Way: 5 minute solicitation for Citizens Committee. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Winona. 1 videocassette (VHS).
AIDS: KSTP Minneapolis, 1987. 4 videocassettes (VHS).
Hennepin County reach of rail, March 20, 1989. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Hennepin County: Hennepin, August 13, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Northwest Community Television: Citizens Jury segments from Northwest cities, October 30, 1991. 1 videocassette (VHS).
Finding a voice: America speaks, 1996. 1 videocassette (VHS).

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Expand/CollapseCATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:
Armed Forces -- Appropriations and expenditures.
Health care reform -- United States.
Political participation -- United States.
Political planning -- United States.
Pollution -- Law and legislation -- United States.
Public welfare -- United States.
Persons:
Crosby, Ned.
Kuttner, Robert.
Penny, Timothy J.
Pryor, David.
Schier, Steven.
Stinson, Thomas F., 1942-
Sweeny, Virgina.
Organizations:
Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes (Minneapolis, Minn.).
League of Women Voters of Minnesota.
Minnesota Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury.
Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Election Citizens Jury.
Tim Penny Congressional Citizens Jury on Welfare Reform.
Traffic Congestion Pricing Citizens Jury.
Titles:
America's Tough Choices: The Federal Budget Citizens Jury.
America's Tough Choices: Health Care Reform Citizens Jury.
Document Types:
Sound recordings.
Video recordings.

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