Everybody loves voter education. Except me. Educate them as to what? Law School, resume, what else? Does the guy from Harvard beat the gal from Hofstra? Another of those ideas that always sounds meaningful but brings little helpful to the table. But who can argue when the choice is singing Hallelujah!
You're right, all these ideas are about as terrific and helpful to public trust and confidence as giving jurors free ballpoint pens.
How about -- what actually happens in court (something beyond the coloring books we give kids now), what judges are supposed to do (not only their daily work, but also their ethical obligations, etc.), what the business of courts is (beyond the average person's experience of traffic tix and divorce, although better information about that, too, would help), etc.
What we do now is downright hokey, not to mention uninteresting and so toothless as to be unhelpful. Meanwhile, people learn these things from Divorce Court. When I was at NCSC we had a woman call in to complain about Judge Judy! That's peoples' reality.
p.s. The exception to boring voter ed is the League of Women Voters. They do a great job not just during election time but also with forums like the one described here. Really, a nice cross-section of the community attended. One student wasn't even there for extra credit, wasn't a poli sci or law student, she just popped in to learn something! (I know, learning in college, what will they think of next...)
p.s. again: Don't get me wrong. I adore a good ballpoint pen. Although I have never served on a jury, I'd be hard-pressed to get excited when they rolled out the pens during that magical annual event called Juror Appreciation Week.
Show some imagination.