Announcing OrangePolitics Volunteer Sprints!* We are looking for volunteers to help us build a better Election Guide. If you are interested in researching candidates and issues or building online tools to share election information, please consider helping out.
Some of the things we might work on include:
- Compiling information about each candidate possibly including: endorsements, campaign spending, candidate photos, and whatever else we think of
- Comparative charts and other analysis
- Dynamic maps (like this for example)
- Post-election analysis of donations, and results by precinct
If these sound interesting, or if you have a better idea, please sign up for the OP Volunteer list.
We will be having a volunteer meeting every Wednesday at 5:30 pm until the election. After that, we will probably meet monthly to work on other projects. Volunteers do not need to attend every meeting, but they do need to subscribe to our volunteer listserv to find out the location of the meetings, which may change.
Want to help, but don't have the time? Cash is always welcome:
* What's a sprint? The term is borrowed from agile software development which brings people together for intense, dynamic spurts of work. In our case, it will involve other tasks beyond the techie stuff - don't be afraid!
Issues:
Comments
speaking of digging up
speaking of digging up information what's up with this in today's CH news
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/opinion/story/2809917p-9254416c.html
As he had in the previous two forums, he supported this position by stating publicly that he had voted to support the Mason Farm-Purefory-Whitehead-Oteys neighborhood in the 1980s by voting against UNC's application to the Town to develop the Dean Smith Center. "You know Bill Thorpe," he stated in his introductory remarks; yet this "pro-neighborhood Bill Thorpe" is not the one I recall from that era. Rather, Thorpe was strongly pro-growth and had possibly the strongest pro-development voting record on the council.
.... To misrepresent ones record as Thorpe has done, however, raises the serious issue of trust. Examination of the Town Council minutes for July 14, 1980, reveals that Thorpe voted with the majority in the 8-1 vote for the resolution to allow development of the Dean Smith Center, contrary to his statements made at forums.
.-- C. William Davis, Chapel Hill
I assume the newspaper editor would investigate this before printing it?
I'll be happy to share my
I'll be happy to share my information. Just let me know what you want, give me a few days to get it together, and I'll get it to you.
Same as above comment
Same as above comment
Thank Mark. A few weeks ago
Thank Mark. A few weeks ago I sent cards by snail mail to every candidate in Orange County. I asked mostly for their e-mail addresses so that I could contact them for more information later. Only two candidates responded!
Candidates, do not asume that I will just give out any e-mail address I can find for you! I wouldn't want you to do that to me. Without your specific permission (or an indication from your website), I will not publicly share your email address.
A few other fun volunteer
A few other fun volunteer projects that have come to mind:
1. A betting pool on local elections. Whoever comes closest to predicting the outcome wins a prize.
2. Monthly opinion polls. I can't decide if I hate these or not.
3. A much better calendar than the current system (which mixes up events with blog entries).
Walker Rutherfurd dropped
Walker Rutherfurd dropped out of the race tonight.
When's the last time there were only seven candidates to choose from for Council?
The first volunteer sprint
The first volunteer sprint will be held tonight in Carrboro (of course). The following announcement just went out to the volunteer listserv: We will meet at 5:30 today in the lounge outside the Cybrary.
If you have at least an hour free, please feel free to drop in and help out. This is for techies, politicos, and newbies alike! Sign up to get future updates.