Crowdlaw and open data policies are uniquely suited for one another: both are rooted in the principle that democratic government is a participatory and collaborative exercise. Successful crowdlaw processes require more than simply posting a draft policy language online, however. Our new guide is designed to help city staff make this process as robust and inclusive as possible.
Continue readingWorried about public comments on draft open data policy? Here are the most common sentiments.
Inviting public comments on draft policy can be a daunting proposition, especially in the age of angry Internet comments. Knowing how residents in other cities have responded to draft open data policy can help make that process more approachable. To better understand that we took a look at the most common sentiments in draft open data policy comments.
Continue readingWho are the most common commenters on open data policies?
A number of cities have invited feedback on draft open data policies — but who actually participates? We analyzed 164 comments made by 65 users on the online drafts posted by 9 American cities to find out.
Continue readingPublic comments on city open data policies focus on governance, uses and privacy
Our analysis of public feedback on the draft open data policies posted by nine American cities online found that comments focus most on governance, usability and privacy. We hope cities will apply this information towards more meaningfully engage with the public.
Continue readingHow to invite feedback on an open data policy
Matt Bailey spoke to us about his experience with collaborative drafting of an open data policy for Washington, D.C.
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Two pro-gun groups spent $9,000 in two and one-half weeks on the winning candidate in a House primary in Georgia. The down-to-the-wire money dump marks one of the anti-establishment success stories from Tuesday’s run-off elections in Georgia.
Continue reading2014 races we’re watching
Using our trackers Sunlight makes it easy to track the advertisements, money and fundraisers in 2014's most pivotal races. Follow the money to see who is influencing your vote — and how much they're paying.
Continue readingMoney talks: Introducing Real-Time’s new competitive primaries page
As the primary season gets underway, Sunlight's Real-Time FEC tracker rolls out a new tool to target the contests that are the most competitive. One headline: Democratic Senate challengers are MIA.
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