Open Government Policy Making by Popular Voting: Comparing Canada and New Zealand
Date
2024-05-10
Authors
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Publisher
Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs
Abstract
The connection between open government policy and popular voting is understudied, yet it can reveal interesting patterns of policymaking that blend agenda setting, policy formulation, and decision-making in semiformalized fluid forms. This inquiry investigates the link between policy voting and open government by comparing the case studies of cocreating open government partnership national action plans in Canada and New Zealand. It examines the role of voting within the policy cycle of open government as a system of governance comprised of transparency, participation, accountability, and civic education. It further employs an exploratory mixed-methods approach of analyzing applied reports, official documents, social media campaigns, and expert interviews. It was found that not the voting format but the government’s approach to interaction with stakeholders is associated with the diverging patterns of open government in the two countries.
Description
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Comprehending Internet Voting Impact on Open Government: An International Comparative Study (CIVICS), grant No 101038044.
Keywords
Open government, Policy making, Voting, Canada, New Zealand