Put yourself on the team drafting a new charter for the city's grassroots governance level, the community boards. Read, research, discuss, think, and contribute to this BeyondVoting Wiki. (See About BeyondVoting for editing, governance, and other wiki operational information.)

Words of Caution Edit

While BeyondVoting seeks new techniques for soliciting ideas, facilitating collaboration, and engaging the public in governance -- words of caution are appropriate.

• Quality v. Quantity - While many new e-governance techniques have been proposed, some will enhance effective governance and others prove as desirable as a democratic lynch-mob. Any proposals presented require a method for assessing accountability. What scale is appropriate for a test? How do we assure the evaluation process isn't gamed? What do we measure? How do we measure? Who measures?

• Essential Access - The governance process can't move online without a parallel commitment to provide online access to all residents. A new universal service standard must be established and funded.

• Perfection? - This technology provides the gist for a Orwellian future. In seeking societal controls, we must show due considersation to privacy and other traditional human values.

All of these articles have saved me a lot of hedaaches.