Web 2.0: citizens choose how to spend public money

There are random sampling and risk management processes built in to stop people from cheating. Voters must live in the electorate. The Community Building Partnership fund use the electoral roll and other information to allocate the street addresses which must be verified before voters get their votes. There are only a certain number of people per household that the system will hold until in triggers a trip line that will suspend all votes in that household until they are validated. People will be randomly selected to verify their address and number of people in household.

If the aspirant groups want to get their project funded, they have to demonstrate there is community demand. In other words, if you want a piece of your neighbour’s “hard earned”, go and ask them directly. If they and enough other voters don’t agree with you, then you can’t have the funds.

Community organizations must do what ever they need to do to seek their neighbours’ support. The site helps with the design for emails, newsletters and has a widget for their websites. Local libraries have agreed to set aside computers for this project and there are volunteers to help get it kicked off.

Voters can also vote at the Electorate office and where there is even a boring old paper for those who can’t or won’t go online but still want to vote.

Voting opens October 6 and will be open for three weeks. Let’s see what the crowd comes up with!