The VoteIt is a U.S. startup based in New Orleans who want to create ways to assist citizen groups to use tools vote in real time. So far, nothing new... There are many tools and websites that offer the same service for free or paid. But VoteIt promises more. Promises that companies, associations and simple citizen groups or communities can improve their decision making process enriching their votes with interaction and feedback with comment threads, polls at the time of collection, integration with email and complex approval workflows. The system incorporates VoteIt rewards transparency and allowing there a way to record the progress and completion of voting.
The system allows VoteIt simplify the decision process by meeting in person, mail or video conferencing, enabling decision making without the costs associated with travel or face the confusion that often arises from the exchange of cross dozens of emails on a given subject.
The system is currently being used internally by the Swedish Green Party with very positive results.
source:
https://www.voteit.com/
- Joam Evans Prim
"Left or right?The two form part of the design of parliamentary politics. In view of the general meeting direct democracy are the people we deliberate and decide on each particular issue. The
vital experience or ideas baggage each person can make certain postures
we choose and not by others, but the rigidity and orthodoxy
partitocracy own lack of sense in the context of the assembly, because
it is not prescriptive in relation to the vast majority problems
which may arise, for example, a county or parochial open neighborhood,
where the long term, is most suitable logic seeking maximum consensus. "- We have no doubt also that the classical Left-Right dichotomy is exhausted. And
exhausted by the sheer inability of when in power, to assert themselves
the real difference between both trends and the crystallization in
"extreme ungovernable" more radical wing of that party Manichaeism. Like
Joam, we do not believe that the renewal of democracy can be achieved
by the rise to power of a new party (Left or Right), but by developing
mechanisms of direct and participatory democracy, able to return to the
world citizens and civic and political effectiveness of governance. The crisis of democracy in Europe is indeed a crisis of representative democracy and partidocracia who hijacked the system. And
its resolution can only pass through the promotion of civic life, the
greater participation of citizens in political life and the
rapprochement between the elected and the electorate.
(...)But a party is the right tool?With only abstention, even if it is active, we can not (yet) to delegitimize political professional. Delegitimize
"politics" and "political" professionals is an essential strategy for
the recovery of our state sovereignty and people policies. The
PT assumes that strategy of delegitimization as a constant, a
"guerrilla politics" (non-violent, of course) so if you want to see. The
creation of autonomous zones with aspiration residence where the cracks
of the system permit, such as parish or neighborhood assemblies with
maximum possible sovereignty, is not utopian. There will is something that can be done in any city, and desprofissionalizando "destating" in fact these structures. I
think that the desire of the people who are in the PT is that it can be
dissolved as soon as possible because there is no place for parties in
direct democracy and we all certainly other passions in life. "-
A form of "political party" is in fact one that - in light of the
current legal framework - allows better leverage the social and
political intervention of a group of citizens. The
forms of "association" and "informal movement" have their virtues, but
given their legal limitations make it difficult for its ability to
intervene and make a real difference. The
term, however, and a foundational moment of elaboration of thoughts and
principles, national deployment and experimentation of participatory
democracy mechanisms and internal organizational construction, these
intermediate forms may be the most appropriate. And that was - for now - the option of + D. The
Galician Party Earth is already another level and their experimentation
with popular assemblies or parish are closely followed in Portugal.
Fonte: http://www.partidodaterra.net/peteiras/joam-evans/
Since mid-February which is officially open for registration of candidates for the districts of the "City Council" of Atlanta. As
in other years, no lack of candidates "system", but this time there
umaa novelty: Jon Jones, a young african american 26 year promises to
enter the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia a new style of
government: Direct Democracy.
Jon
Jones is an unknown figure in politics, with a career in finance and no
apparent social relevance before he started this municipal project,
which earned him a great attention from local media because of the
originality of their proposals and cybernetic form as guides and leads his campaign. This
public record is very discreet indeed emphasized in his campaign Web
site, where Jon Jones takes his status as "anonymous citizen" stressing
that the discrediting of the current political system follows much of
this obsession in looking for a "savior indeed" capable of -
miraculously - cure all ills. And
it is precisely because it is an "anonymous" that your application
today is growing, especially among young people, tired and disillusioned
with the "custom options".
The
originality of the proposed Jon Jones comes to what Atlanta offers its
voters, proposes to build a network of websites, SMS servers, telephone
lines and mobile applications to allow residents in his district will
actively participate in the legislative process and decision-making your city. If elected, Jones put on a website to have to make that decision and order vote "yes" or "no" to residents. Then, as most of these votes, as well voted also in the "City Council". Who does not have easy Internet access may exercise their vote by sending emails, sms or voice calls to automated systems. Obviously, for citizens to vote, they must draft a simplified version of the laws presented to them. And
we must create ways to combat the apathy that seems to define most
citizens, with studies indicating that forms of direct democracy
encourage citizens to be more active, informed and engaged.
Despite the proliferation of Participatory Budgeting to nearly two dozen Portuguese cities and the existence tools such as Participatory Democracy Petitions of Citizens Legislative Initiatives and Referendums, the truth is that Participatory Democracy has not yet come to parties.
And if not reached, not reached due to the phenomenon that best characterizes the contemporary Portuguese society: Fear. Fear to innovate, Fear Decide, Act of Fear and the Fear of Speaking. In the case of partidocracia, partidocratas the fear that internal change in the forms of life management partisan change the internal balance of power and influence and that the influx of citizens to parties eventually repel the bosses in them - since 1976 - will be alternating.
But despite this fear for change, the parties will have to be open to civil society, to exit out of your tired and exhausted circle of comfort (militant and employees) and open the doors to citizens: thus able to renew their own ranks with new blood , creativity and innovation, and in this way remain active in a society increasingly demanding.
