eDemocracy

Democracy as we see it goes beyond the widely-held principles of governance of the people, by the people and for the people. It involves a concerted effort to ensure that everyone has a voice – and that every reasonable means is employed to ensure that voice is not only heard, but duly counted. Its quintessence are the principles of social equity and respect for the individual within any community.

eDemocracy takes this concept a step further, and through the efficiencies of technology, affords individuals everywhere an opportunity to have a voice in decisions that affect the quality of their lives. eDemocracy harnesses the power of technology to improve the breadth, depth and quality of interactions among corporate officers, shareowners, elected representatives and citizens throughout the globe.

In deploying sophisticated, secure election management systems over the Internet and via mobile devices, Everyone Counts introduces a compelling new way for individuals to exercise their franchise rights. Everyone Counts’ approach to eDemocracy increases participation in the electoral process, forges better communication (and stronger bonds) between the electorate and the officials elected to represent them, and brings more accuracy, integrity and auditable transparency to the process. The more convenient it is to vote, the more folks will exercise their right to be heard – and to impact their communities in a meaningful way.

eDemocracy can only work when built on a foundation of integrity. What might that entail? The Geneva Convention on Human Rights and Elections suggests that all enfranchised citizens are entitled to participate in fair and open elections that are simple, transparent, accurate, verifiable, accessible, safe and anonymous. One person gets one vote; and no votes are bartered or bought.

Everyone Counts affords governments, agencies, associations, unions, universities and corporations the highest integrity eDemocracy solutions available. By introducing the opportunity for citizens to vote over secure socket layers and secured applets via the Internet and mobile devices, Everyone Counts’ transparent technology affords voters (and the agencies who run elections) convenient, reliable and innovative ways to engage folks in the electoral process unlike ever before, without compromising security or reliability.

Every Vote Counts

Facilitating unprecedented participation and accountability in the electoral process, eDemocracy is a global endeavor for sweeping democratic renewal. Once engaged, people are more informed and have a better understanding of the democratic process – and how their participation can indeed make a difference.

The U.S. is experiencing a renewed interest in bringing integrity to the process. In 1993, the U.S. Congress enacted the National Voter Registration Act**** The act is designed to enhance voting opportunities for every American, while making it easier for all Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote.

Then, in 2002, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act*****, which established the Election Assistance Commission, whose primary charge is to ensure that every single American who wants to vote is able to do so.

Like it has in other parts of the world, Everyone Counts is working to assist the U.S. government in achieving its goals of ensuring every eligible citizen who wants to vote is given the opportunity to effectively cast that vote.

Technology Can Effect Grass Roots Change

New technology has the power to change the way in which officials engage and work with their citizens: local eDemocracy can open the door to a genuine, two-way dialogue and deliver democratic renewal from the ground up.

The 2006 Mexican presidential election was won by a few hundred thousand votes. There were nearly 10 million Mexican expatriates who were given the right to vote from abroad this year. But the process involved a cumbersome and inconvenient paper/mailing process. Fewer than 1% of those 10 million eligible voters cast a vote in the election. Had they had more convenient means via which to cast their ballots, these individuals could have changed – or resoundingly ratified – the election results.

As people come to understand that their votes can make a difference, they become motivated to interact with elected officials in ways that can positively impact their communities – and their qualities of life. In turn, elected officials gain a better understanding of what their constituents desire, they become more responsive to – and welcoming of – citizens’ input and they are incented to act according to the campaign promises that got them elected.

The result is a renewed faith in the process, more productive partnerships between government and the governed, more effective leadership from those in office and most importantly, the progressive, thriving sense of community that comes from a healthy, high-integrity democratic process.



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