The AboutMyArea local election campaign demonstrates how simple and intelligent use of new media can make a real difference. It reaffirms the importance of content. It shows how community-driven websites can be used to strengthen communities and engage local people in the democratic process.

Many new technologies have been sought out to address the problem of falling voter participation at elections. Solutions put forward include voting by email, web or text; push button voting; barcodes and machines for counting ballot papers. These have had little impact so far – or even caused new problems.

AboutMyArea argues that developing new technology for casting your vote cannot be an answer as it overlooks the basic need to provide the electorate with the information required to make a decision. Making it easier to vote does not motivate people to vote.

As tens of thousands of voters were not expected to receive election leaflets this May – and with some areas even banning the traditional lamp-post publicity for politicians – forty four AboutMyArea sites undertook to provide full information for all candidates, details of where and how to vote and to host on-line election statements for all would-be councillors. Some even provided a download button so that voters could print a pocket guide to the candidates to take to the polling booth.

Community web editors approached almost a thousand candidates from Cornwall to Inverness and rural Bedfordshire to metropolitan Barnsley. Local voters were then able to compare political hopefuls side by side – just like an online shopping site.

Politicians and election officers welcomed the move. Most encouraging of all was that website statistics revealed a hunger for the information among the local electorate. Across the AboutMyArea network web traffic was up by 15% and sites participating in the election campaign recorded their highest ever number of visitors.

Nominated by Mik Barton, 18 May 2007

Exellent!

Submitted by John.Hamer, 19 May 2007

I'm glad to see this up for an award. I saw this coverage in my local area, found it very informative & thought it was a great use of the web - no waiting for leaflets to come through the door & no bias to the main parties who can spend more on bumf. Well done those responsible.

Submitted by Mike Lawrie, 20 May 2007

I saw this in a neighbouring area and would love to see it in my local town, it is always very time consuming to track down all the candidate information - great to see it all together and in an easy way to digest.

Submitted by Elliot Bullingham, 25 May 2007

Perhaps I should have made it clear in my nomination that there were sites all over the UK participating in this election campaign, even though only a few links have been picked out as examples. All the participating site editors did a great job and put in a lot of hard work to get people in their area interested in the elections and motivated to vote.

Submitted by Mik Barton, 27 May 2007

I thought it was an excellent way of communicating to the general public both young and old and especially those that do not buy the local paper for one reason or another. The format was easy and straightforward and easy to follow. Well done to those who came up with this idea.

Submitted by David Horne, 28 May 2007

well deserved nomination.

as with everything on this site, it was of high quality, interesting and informative.

keep up the good work

Submitted by richard tovery, 30 May 2007

Nice to see that you have been nominated. Your site is very informative, easy to use and the coverage for the local elections especially made life easier for the voters then just lookin at boring leaflets

Submitted by Jen Glanville (PORLOCK), 30 May 2007

I fully support the "by the community for the community" idea and hope that many more local people get involved in their local sites. This could be a great way to help build stronger, more vibrant local communities.

Submitted by Cllr Jon Freeman, 31 May 2007

What a great idea.We always feel we should be voting but never seem to be sent leaflets by the candidates. This made it seem so much easier-why doesn't the government do this?They'd get far more people voting if they did

Submitted by Rebecca Cohen, 31 May 2007

This is surely one of the ways forward in the battle to re-engage the electorate. It is informative, relevant and worthwhile taking the time to read. User-friendly and attractive. I hope it wins the award! It certainly deserves to.

Submitted by Val Harrison, 31 May 2007