OpenGovernment was created to provide a free, open source website that would encourage government transparency at the state and local level. The site combines official government information with relevant news coverage and blog posts from all over the internet. The project is non-partisan and is intended to inform the public and give the average person a window into what is going on with the government. The site gives users a comprehensive way to view government related information, which can be sorted by name of a government official or relevant person or by the name of the bill. Open Government also allows users to see which topics are most popular through most viewed, most in the news and other helpful sorting options. Open Government also provides tracking tools that supply the user with an RSS feed for updates related to the individual or bill.

Visit opengovernment.org

OpenGovernment emerged as a result of the combined efforts of the Sunlight Foundation and the Participatory Politics Foundation. The site operates independently and does not belong to any government entity or political party. The concept behind Open Government was formed after the founders came up with the idea for Open Congress in 2004.

There are many government resources and information all over the internet, but most of it is scattered everywhere. Important information and news stories frequently go unnoticed because they become buried in the sea of data produced on the internet. Open Government gives users a centralized resource to stay on top of those in government and the bills they pass that can affect the average person.

The Open Government website features a light grey background and hints of light, minty green throughout. The site is well organized and has a laid back appearance to it. The bottom of the homepage features stylish graphics that add life to what is normally a very dull subject for some. A zip code field is presented along the bottom of the homepage to allow users to quickly access their district on Open Government.

Visitors are not required to register to access Open Government resources. The user can simply click on their desired state and begin browsing. The site is currently very limited (including only Texas, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Maryland and California). An email address field found on the homepage invites users to sign up for a notification when their state is added to the site. Those who wish to create an account can do so by clicking on the small “Sign In” link at the top, center of the homepage. A pop up box appears asking the user to log in. In the top paragraph, the user can find a link that reads “to register (it’s free and only takes a minute).” Clicking this directs the user to the Open Congress registration form (the accounts are interchangeable). The form requires a username, password, email address and zip code.

Open Government is run by two non-profit organizations. Naturally the information provided would be available to anyone for free. There are no subscription fees or other charges for accessing the site or signing up for RSS feeds. Users can follow their local government easily without having to pay for doing so.

Anyone with an interest in government can really appreciate Open Government. The site makes it significantly easier to follow members of government and other relevant individuals as well as bills. Users can spend less time wading through news stories and media websites and more time reading through the content they want to see.

• View government information and content for the states listed on the site
• Register to receive notification when your state is added to Open Government
• Set up RSS feeds to receive updates on government officials and bills
• Sort content by bill, person and popularity
• Automatically locate your current location through the site’s auto find feature

Visit opengovernment.org