Using the Internet to connect with voters at Piaras Kelly PR

Using the Internet to connect with voters

Published September 6th, 2005 in E-PR

In politics, an organised minority is a political majority - Jesse Jackson

ElectricNews report that Germany has adopted Scotland’s e-petition system. E-petitoner allows members of the public to start an online petition and then discuss it online.

I hadn’t heard about it before, but what a great system. The principal benefit on the system is supposed to be making your petition available to a much wider audience. However I think it’s the fact that it makes starting a petition much easier for the average member of the public that is its main selling point.

I wouldn’t have the first clue about how to start a proper petition and ensure that it is brought to the attention of elected representatives. The system even lets you track its progress through the Public Petitions Committee - how’s that for transparency!

E-petitioner is a fantastic illustration of how the power of the Internet can be harnessed to connect audiences and reinvigorate politics. Local representatives would have no excuse for being out of touch with their constituents and voters would be in a much better to understand how the system works.

Now off to buy my one way ticket to Scotland

Technorati Tags: E-petitioner, Piaras Kelly, Politics

4 Responses to “Using the Internet to connect with voters”

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1 Ed Byrne Sep 6th, 2005 at 1:48 pm

http://www.gopetition.com/ - do it for free.

Mind you, it’d be nice if it WAS done as part of Ireland’s e-government.
2 Damien Mulley Sep 6th, 2005 at 8:13 pm

I think the Dáil are researching the idea of adding discussion forums where bills can be commented upon by Joe Public. http://TheyWorkForYou.com is what we need in Ireland.
3 David Phillips Sep 6th, 2005 at 11:46 pm

As long as it is but one method. The digitally disenfranchised may see it as elitism. It is worth looking at Richard Edelman’s blog this week.
4 Piaras Sep 7th, 2005 at 12:26 am

Yeah I’d agree with the approach that you shouldn’t just resort to the Internet, espeicially in Ireland where broadband take-up is so low. However, e-petitioner makes the whole process more transparent, thus making voters more aware of how the system works and thereby making politicians more responsible for their actions.

On the whole though Ireland’s e-govrenment strategy is seriously lacking at the moment. All the parties are beginning to square off in the face of another general election and one would have thought that somebody apart from the independents would turn to the Internet as part of their overall campaign strategy.