The Ballotin #11 — from Democracy Club

Season's greetings!

It's the (second) most wonderful time of the year (after the first week in May)!

Below, there's a brief update on Democracy Club.  

But first, a message from our sponsors. Next year could get quite busy for voters. They will be looking for good information sources, and, with your support, we'll be ready! 🎁 Now is a great time to make a regular donation to Democracy Club.🎁

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a democracy-filled new year,

Joe, Sym and Chris

🗳 We’re halfway to May...

In the summer, we made a list of things we wanted to have achieved by the end of next May. We recently passed the halfway point on the calendar and reviewed our progress on the blog.

👥 We looked into making a database of representatives.

We dedicated a week to thinking about open data on elected representatives. Why does it matter? Who should pay for it? How would we create it? A first attempt at some answers in this blogpost box set.

🌅 We have a new mission and vision statement!

We tried to encapsulate Democracy Club in a couple of sentences. Does this sound like something you’d sign up to? Let us know!

“Our vision is of a country with the digital foundations to support everyone’s participation in democratic life.”

“Our mission is to create those foundations by: identifying areas for improvement in democratic engagement; ensuring everyone has access to quality information on democratic processes, particularly on elections; and mobilising a non-partisan movement of volunteers for democracy.”

✋ Want to stand as a candidate in May 2019?

Many areas have elections next May! Keep an eye on your local council’s website for information on how to stand. There’s no deposit for local elections!

🗓 Don’t forget we cover by-elections!

Our volunteers, both human and robot, are constantly gathering data on upcoming by-elections. You can see what’s happening via WhoCanIVoteFor.co.uk or help add information on candidates.

🎄🎄🎄Remember, democracy is for life, not just for Christmas. Please chip in £3/month to keep this show on the road. Donate here! 🎄🎄🎄