The Internet in the Service of Democracy  

Democracy? Well, that’s what we’re having every four years with the elections for local governments or the Danish Parliament. However, democracy is also about having influence on the decisions made relating to our own lives on an everyday basis. And here the Internet comes in as a very useful tool.  

When did you last sit in on a meeting of the Town Council? Surely, to many of us the answer would be ”never”. But if you could sit and chat with the mayor via the Internet, quite a few would surely have a question or to ask him. This is for example what was tried in the municipality of Hals – and the interest was so overwhelming that they want to try this again.
Actually the idea is not all that new. Already back in the autumn of 2001 – in the months prior to the county elections – citizens could enter a dialogue with the candidates for the county council via the www.nordpol.dk website. Actually the Nordpol-website was planned to be shut down after the election. However, it was so popular among citizens that today it continues, very much alive as the forum for citizens of North Denmark to discuss topicals, of current interest with fellow citizens. – And this goes for politicians, too.
We can also be asked for advice. This is what the municipality of Aalborg does with revised proposals for the municipal plan covering the regions of Svenstrup and Nørresundby. The municipal plan with all necessary information – is placed at the www.detaktiveaalborgkort.dk web site, and citizens of the two regions can pose questions and come forward with comments.
Via the Internet we can monitor the decision- and policy-making process within the county and the municipalities. Open mail lists, agendas for board and city council meetings help to make sure that both the public and the press can monitor the spending of the taxpayers' money – and that the elected representatives keep the promises made during the most recent elections.
But democracy is also about having influence on your everyday life – your kids’ education for example. The ABDD Portal can help enhancing the collaboration between schools and homes – so far this happens for selected schools in the municipalities of Hjørring and Aabybro. The Central School of Vedsted in the village of Birkelse has placed a demo model of their upcoming school portal on the Web. This is to illustrate how the project envisions teachers and parents using the portal. See it on: http://vesk.tangora.com.  
Several projects under umbrella of the Digital North Denmark focus on the enhancing democracy and offering citizens a better chance to gain influence on the decisions to be made. Read about each democracy project – please refer to the list below.  

The ABDD-Portal

The Digital County Administration

The Active Map of Aalborg

The Digital Democracy

An Interactive Portal for Citizens, Associations and Industry

Openness in the Digital Administration & the Press as a Mediator within the Democracy

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