Government Technology Leadership Awards Increasing Participation in Governance

here may be no more convenient state in America to be a voter than Virginia, where citizens can obtain real-time poll results on election day, locate their official polling place and check the status of their registration or absentee ballot online through the state's Elections and Voter Services Web site.

When Virginia started building its electronic voter suite two years ago, simplicity was the goal. "We said, 'Let's make it easier for people to vote,'" says Rodney Willett, general manager for the Virginia Information Providers Network, a public-private partnership that manages the Web services.

And they did. Voters need to provide only their name, Social Security number and a personal identification number issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to gain access to the site's features.

And citizens aren't the only ones rejoicing over Virginia's technological leap. The 134 voter registrars who had to key in election results by hand on old mainframe computers, and then submit those numbers to the State Board of Elections, are now happy to just log on and upload data from their offices to the site.

-Shane Harris

WHY IT'S INNOVATIVE
Unprecedented integration data from multiple state agencies and every local government.

WHAT IT CHANGED
Voters and election-calling journalists can get quick, accurate election returns statewide.