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constituents online, because that’swhere people are making their voicesheard and where decisions are beingmade. Electronic government providescitizens with quicker and easieraccess to information and servicesand facilitates decision-making thatpermits broad grass-rootsengagement with the democraticprocess. Citizen input is not just amatter of convenience any more; it’sbecome an essential for howdemocracies work.In recent years, there has been muchdiscussion about the public’s lack oftrust in government. Much of thisdistrust is attributed to a lack ofknowledge and understanding of theinner workings of government, both inthe legislative and civil servicearenas. Failure to provide instant,accurate, copious governmentinformation on demand and notengaging citizens in the developmentofpublicpolicy feeds a growingcynicism and destroys trust.Thisnewsletter explores some of themany ways technology is makinggovernment processes moreaccessible and expanding citizenparticipation in public policydecision-making. It documents thefirst steps in what is certain tobecome a wave of remarkabletechnological applications that willcontinuously change the way citizensand the governments that representthem interact. The articles describemany of the ways electronicgovernment is:
•
Building Trust in Government
•
Engaging Citizens
•
Facilitating Public Comment
•
Using Social Media, and
•
Getting to Mature E-Democracy.
Building Trust in Government
Interactive Web-based programs andelectronic tools dramatically increasethe opportunities for citizens toactively participate in theirgovernment. E-Government systemsoffer maximum transparency andenable participants to watch theplayers in the executive, legislativeand judicial branches of governmentand to see the impact of their owninteractivity.
E-Democracy inMinnesota
allows residents to watchlegislative debate on television or theWeb, read proposed amendmentsonline, and send comments directly totheir lawmakers as the debateunfolds.
MAPLight.org
is
Shining aLight on Money and Politics
bycorrelating campaign contributionswith how legislators vote, therebyproviding a window into theconnections between money andpolitics.
Building Trust inGovernment in Brazil throughElectronic Voting
describes theevolution of 100% electronic voting inthe Republic of Brazil, where voting iscompulsory.
Stimulating Citizen Engagementin Government
in
Hampton,Virginia
ispartofthecity’s strategyto enable and stimulate citizeninvolvement in the process ofcommunity governance.
OnlineCitizen Participation Service inKorea
isone of that country’s effortsto enhance the transparency andcredibility of public administrationthrough citizen participation.
EngagingCitizens
E-Government allows citizens a levelofengagement—without leaving theirhomes—never before made possible.For the Environmental ProtectionAgency,
Engaging CitizensThrough E-Government
is nearand dear to its mission, which callsfor citizen participation in decisionsabout clean air, water, and the overallenvironmental quality of theirneighborhoods. The
GainesvillePolice Department EngagesCitizens and Enhances PublicSafety
by involving citizens inhelping to make their communitiessafer places in which to live.
The Open House Project HelpsCongress Define Transparency Reforms
by offering recommenda-tions to Congress on ways to moreeffectively use technology to furthertransparency in its operations. TheCourt Services and OffenderSupervision Agency redesigned itswebsite to provide visitors with auser-friendly experience while tellingthe agency’s stories directly to thepublic.
So you Want to Podcast
,the author asks, proudly offeringsuggestions based on his agency’sexperience. The city of Seattle ishelping to close the digital divide andencourage a technology-healthy citywith a
Technology Matching Fund
that
Helps Seattle’s ResidentsHelp Themselves
.The State ofMaine’s innovative Internet practicesare creating
Generational E-Democracy in Maine
,bringingpeople closer to their government andenhancing democracy. Recognizingthe need for a standardized approachto this new medium, the AustralianGovernment’s
Principles for ICT-enabled Citizen Engagement
provide guidelines for agencieswanting to enhance citizenparticipation in government throughthe use ICT.
Public Comment
Governments are collecting and usingpublic opinion to improve the waysthey deliver services to citizens. Forexample,intheUnited Kingdom, thereisalong tradition of citizenspresenting petitions at the door ofNumber 10 Downing Street, the homeofthe Prime Minister. Now, the doorofNumber 10 Downing Street is avirtual one, as current technologyupdates this practice with
E-Petitions and Two-Way Communications with the PrimeMinister
.Sometimes, citizenconcerns are sought to help thegovernment improve its processes,when, for instance,
CitizenCommunities Compel Change for E-Grant Process
.In the case of e-grants, citizen groups offering theiropinions improved the initial, basicprocesses set out in the U.S.government’s Grants.gov initiative.Well-designed structures andprocesses can enable government
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