MyCandidate Philadelphia

Our solution aims to solve the problem of voter education and turnout in the United States. In recent years, voter turnout in the U.S. has risen for certain elections, however, the U.S. still trails in voter turnout compared to many other developed countries. In the 2020 Presidential election, more than 158.4 million people voted, amounting to 62.8% of people of voting age, according to Census Bureau estimates of the 2020 voting-age population. When comparing turnout among the voting-age population in the 2020 presidential election against recent national elections in 49 other countries, the U.S. ranks 31st – between Colombia (62.5%) and Greece (63.5%).

Voting in midterm elections is also historically lower than in Presidential elections. For example, in the recent U.S. midterm elections, nearly 107.7 million valid votes were cast in the 2022 House elections, representing about 45.1% of the estimated voting-eligible population. That was down from 48.1% turnout in 2018 – when midterm voting reached levels not seen in more than a century. 

Additionally, some states have introduced laws that limit voting opportunities for specific segments of the population. Research from the Brennan Center for Justice has shown that these laws disproportionately affect people of color. Young people (ages 18-21) also say that they lack information on voter registration and polling places. 

Specifically, we’d like to pilot our solution in Philadelphia, where in the 2022 midterm elections, voter turnout was 12 percent lower than in 2018. This might not seem like a large decline, however, if Philadelphia’s share of statewide turnout had been 11.4 percent lower in 2020, like it was in 2022, Joe Biden would have lost Pennsylvania in the Presidential election.

In Philadelphia, the neighborhoods with the lowest voter turnout are also the most economically disadvantaged and the neighborhoods that experience the greatest number of adverse effects from the opioid epidemic. Marginalized communities, which are most affected by a lack of effort to engage voters, will suffer the most if Philadelphians are underrepresented in city-wide and statewide elections and government. 

MyCandidate is a web-based platform that helped South African voters see which candidates were contesting in their ward for the 2021 Local Government Elections. This information was scraped from PDFs and had never been made so accessible before.

MyCandidate has a basic web front-end that allows users to input their address. Using geolocation, the app is able to determine what ward users fall into and then apply the ward candidate details. The name, age and political party they are representing are listed, along with all the wards in which the candidate is running. A Google search link was then attached to the candidate names so that users can read more about the candidates’ backgrounds and experience. 

Leading up to the 2021 municipal elections in South Africa, there were a lot of conversations on social media with citizens sharing their frustrations around a lack of information on the candidates running for their ward. Despite the short turnaround time of two weeks, the Open Cities Lab (OCL) team decided to fill this gap to make this data more easily accessible.

MyCandidate was launched very quickly and the call was put out on Twitter for users to test the app and give feedback. This feedback was incorporated to fix any issues and improve its overall usability.  A blog post about the voting was written to explain the way local elections work and what the different ballots voters receive represent, and a link to this was included on the application.

There was an overwhelmingly positive response and MyCandidate was utilized by 118,000 unique users over a period of 10 days leading up to the election. There were a lot of conversations and debate generated both on social media in the media, with MyCandidate trending on Twitter over this period. The discussions on this and greater civic engagement around elections is a key step towards greater accountability and functioning of democracy.

Since the pilot of MyCandidate in South Africa, it has been implemented in Kenya for the 2022 general elections and in Nigeria for the 2023 general elections. This platform has already reached millions of African citizens, fostering their active participation in democracy.

This technology has the potential to be replicated in other countries to improve citizens’ access to information that empowers them. We see the  opportunity to bring MyCandidate to Philadelphia by partnering with The Philadelphia Citizen and Accountability Lab.

Elections have real-life consequences affecting education, economic well-being, access to health care, reproductive freedom, and more. Over the past decade, voter suppression has taken on many new forms and remains a real obstacle today, disproportionately impacting both voters of color and youth voters. Civic technology tools can provide citizens with greater access to information about government actions and decisions, as well as greater opportunities for citizens to participate in the democratic process

By collaborating with grassroots organizers to target marginalized communities in Philadelphia, MyCandidate will increase access to information on where and when to vote, who is up for election in their ward, and information about candidates and local elections. This will increase their sense of agency and understanding of how to participate in the election process. Greater voter turnout has the potential to have a direct impact on the lives of marginalized communities when they have the information they need to vote for candidates who will meet their needs. 

Grassroots efforts have had a substantial impact in Philadelphia. For example, Vote the Ridge (VTR), an independent political action committee working in the 21st Ward, reports working with 100 volunteers to deliver 4,400 postcards, canvassing 4,000 voters, distributing 450 yard and window signs, and holding 15 voter registration events.

VTR says these grassroots efforts helped produce an outcome in the 21st Ward where trends were reversed. The statewide Democratic candidates received higher absolute numbers of votes than their 2018 counterparts, received a higher share of the vote than their 2018 counterparts, and won a larger proportion of votes than President Biden won in 2020.

We see the use of technology having the potential to reach more people and amplify the efforts of grassroots organizers and plan to coordinate with local organizers to help with uptake and usage of the application. The Philadelphia Citizen and Accountability Lab are also connected to a number of youth organizations in Philadelphia that can support uptake and usage by youth populations. 

Open Cities Lab is a non-profit organisation that creates tools and interventions that strengthen capacity within government, empower citizens and improve trust and accountability in the civic space. They have developed various platforms such as MyCandidate that enable citizens to play an active role in the economy, democracy and political cycle. Their strong partnerships with civil society and government boosts their success in each of their projects across diverse democratic and civic engagement themes. Since 2016 they have worked on breaking down the barriers between voters and reliable information on candidates, as well as monitoring the media for transparency ahead of local and national elections through our various projects.

Accountability Labis a global translocal network that makes governance work for people by supporting active citizens, responsible leaders and accountable governments. 

Our proximity to the communities we seek to serve will come through our partnership with The Philadelphia Citizen. The Philadelphia Citizen, a nonprofit, non-partisan media organization has a dual mission: to provide deeply reported journalism that emphasizes solutions that can move the region forward, and to actively reignite citizenship in and around Philadelphia.

The Citizen provides practical ways for every Philadelphian to become a more active participant in the life of his or her city. Their Civic Engagement team turns articles into discrete actions; connects problem-solvers to those looking for ways to engage; and helps Philadelphians find their own path to becoming a truly engaged citizen. They encourage citizens to look for ways to make our democracy stronger, do their part to help local schools and teachers, and perhaps most importantly, vote on ideas that can move the city forward and come together to brainstorm solutions in real-time.

The Philadelphia Citizen and Accountability Lab are also connected to a wide range of organizations and individuals in Philadelphia who work on civic engagement and voter turnout, including through out joint program, Integrity Icon Philadelphia. 

This project will be a collaboration between Open Cities Lab, Accountability Lab and The Philadelphia Citizen. 

We are applying to Solve to receive funding for distribution of the product and connecting with the communities that most need to be reached in Philadelphia. We’re also interested in joining a network of impact-minded leaders from across sectors, receiving access to strategic advice, monitoring and evaluation support, exposure, and in-kind support of any sort. 

MyCandidate stands out as an innovative solution due to several key factors:

Candidate information is locked in pdf documents and even less accessible formats depending on the country. MyCandidate significantly improves the ability of residents to access information on who is running and how the elections work. The development of a white labelled, open source product allows partners from all over the world to identify use cases for this tool (as Accountability Lab and Philadelphian Citizen have done here), add features that suit their local context, thereby improving on the tool with each iteration for others to use. This global collaborative effort has the ability to drastically change the election ecosystem - especially when Independent Electoral Commissions come on board as they are doing in South Africa now. In turn, voters can make informed, evidence-based decisions, enhancing democracy and ultimately leading to improved livelihoods, more inclusive civic spaces and increased resilience of city institutions, spaces and residents. 

Democratizing Information: MyCandidate revolutionizes the way citizens access and engage with political information. By providing comprehensive and user-friendly platforms, it empowers individuals to make informed decisions about candidates and their policies. The platform ensures that voters have easy access to relevant and reliable information, promoting transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

Personalized Experience: MyCandidate leverages advanced technologies to create a personalized experience for users. By using geolocation or address-based searches, it tailors information specific to each user's constituency and candidates. This customization ensures that voters receive targeted information that directly impacts their communities, enabling them to make more meaningful decisions.

Engagement Beyond Elections: MyCandidate extends its impact beyond election cycles by fostering ongoing civic engagement. The platform encourages users to participate in various initiatives, such as voter education programs, civic forums, and community projects. By empowering citizens to act beyond voting, MyCandidate promotes a culture of active citizenship and contributes to the long-term development of democratic processes.

Collaboration and Partnerships: MyCandidate embraces collaborations with diverse organizations, including nonprofits and advocacy groups. These partnerships allow for the integration of additional resources, expertise, and data sources, enriching the platform's capabilities and expanding its reach.

Collectively, these innovative features position MyCandidate as a transformative solution that enhances voter engagement, promotes transparency, and fosters a participatory democratic ecosystem.

1. Enhanced and more responsive service delivery through better infrastructure across the city's diverse community: MyCandidate can contribute to this impact goal by providing a platform that allows citizens to find out more information about their candidates and then hold them to account. By gathering feedback and data from a diverse community, the platform can identify common issues and prioritize infrastructure improvements accordingly. This enables city officials and relevant stakeholders to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively, leading to enhanced and more responsive service delivery.

2. Improved livelihoods, especially of marginalized groups: MyCandidate can help improve livelihoods, particularly for marginalized groups, by promoting inclusivity and equity in decision-making processes. The platform can provide a space for marginalized communities to voice their needs, concerns, and aspirations, ensuring that their perspectives are heard and considered. This inclusivity can lead to policies and initiatives that address systemic inequalities and create opportunities for socioeconomic advancement, ultimately improving livelihoods for all members of the community.

3. More inclusive civic space - physical and digital: MyCandidate can contribute to creating a more inclusive civic space, both in the physical and digital realms. By providing information that is easily accessed online  it allows for equal opportunities for participation, MyCandidate helps create an inclusive civic space where diverse perspectives are valued and respected.

4. Increased resilience of city institutions, spaces, and residents: MyCandidate can enhance the resilience of city institutions, spaces, and residents by promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement. The platform can facilitate information sharing between residents and institutions. By actively involving citizens in decision-making processes, MyCandidate can foster a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to increased community resilience. 

In summary, MyCandidate can contribute to achieving these impact goals by providing a platform for citizen engagement, promoting inclusivity, facilitating information sharing, and empowering communities. By leveraging technology and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, the platform can help create positive change and advance the resilience, livelihoods, and inclusivity of cities and their diverse communities.

An accurate, up-to-date and working version of the MyCandidate Philadelphia platform by the next elections:

To evaluate the success of this objective, we would need to track the progress of the development, data and design team, ensuring that they are on track to complete the platform before the elections. We would also conduct thorough testing to ensure that the platform is fully functional and up-to-date with the latest electoral candidate data. This would demonstrate that the team has successfully created and implemented a functional platform in time for the elections, setting a strong foundation for future iterations and expansions of the platform.

• We will monitor using google analytics the number of users visiting the MyCandidate platform during the election period and track their engagement time on the site. We would also conduct surveys to gather feedback from users about their experience with the platform and their level of engagement with the candidate data presented. This would demonstrate that citizens are actively engaging with the MyCandidate platform to learn more about the candidates and make informed decisions, indicating that the platform is succeeding in its objective to empower citizens and create an informed and engaged electorate.

• We will monitor media coverage of the platform leading up to and during the election period, tracking mentions in national and international news outlets as well as radio programs. We have created a software for another project called Dexter that monitors media that we would be able to use to monitor media coverage during elections. We would also gather qualitative feedback from users who discovered the platform through media coverage, assessing the effectiveness of our media outreach strategy. This would demonstrate that the MyCandidate platform has gained widespread recognition and adoption, potentially leading to a more engaged and informed electorate.

• We will track and analyze feedback from citizens who have used the MyCandidate platform during the election period. This would involve monitoring social media channels, email correspondence, and feedback submitted through the platform's feedback software. We would analyze this feedback to identify common themes and sentiments among users, assessing the overall effectiveness of the platform in empowering citizens and fostering engagement in the democratic process. We would also use this feedback to inform future development and improvements to the platform. This evaluation point directly aligns with the objective of empowering citizens to participate actively in electoral and democratic processes by tracking and analyzing feedback from citizens who have used the MyCandidate platform during the election period. The feedback obtained would provide insights into the effectiveness of the platform in achieving its objective of informing and engaging voters.

The below theory of change is for Open Cities Lab's South Africa 'Cities Programme' as a whole where we are working to get better data strategy into cities as well as holding government to account for their decisions which includes the MyCandidate platform.

The core technology that powers the MyCandidate solution encompasses a range of modern technologies and innovative approaches. We leverage various tools and methodologies to create a comprehensive and user-friendly platform for citizen engagement and information dissemination. Some of the key technologies used in MyCandidate include:

1. Web and Mobile Applications: MyCandidate is primarily built as a web and mobile application, providing accessibility and convenience to users. These applications are developed using modern web development frameworks and programming languages, ensuring a seamless user experience across different devices.

2. Data Integration and Automation: To provide real-time updates and accurate information, MyCandidate utilizes data integration techniques to aggregate and harmonize data from multiple sources. Automation processes ensure that data is updated regularly, reflecting the latest developments in candidate profiles, manifestos, and campaign activities.

3. Geolocation and Address-based Services: MyCandidate incorporates geolocation and address-based services to deliver personalized information based on the user's location. This technology allows users to access relevant and constituency-specific candidate data, enabling them to make informed decisions.

4. Data Analytics and Insights: MyCandidate employs data analytics to gain insights into user behavior, preferences, and trends. By analyzing user interactions and feedback, the platform can extract valuable insights that inform decision-making processes for candidates, campaign managers, and election stakeholders.

5. Content Management System (CMS): A robust CMS is used to manage the content on the MyCandidate platform, ensuring easy administration and timely updates. This allows the platform administrators to maintain accurate and relevant information for users.

6. Security and Privacy Measures: MyCandidate prioritizes the security and privacy of user information. Robust encryption protocols and secure server infrastructure are implemented to protect user data. Compliance with data protection regulations and privacy policies ensures that user information is handled responsibly.

In summary, MyCandidate leverages a combination of web and mobile applications, data integration and automation, geolocation services, data analytics, content management systems, and robust security measures. These technologies collectively enable the platform to provide citizens with accurate, personalized, and up-to-date information, fostering greater engagement and participation in the democratic process.

As a diverse organization based in South Africa, Open Cities Lab is deeply committed to incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusivity into our work. Our leadership team consists of individuals from various backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives, bringing a wealth of diversity to our decision-making processes. We understand that diversity is a crucial driver of innovation and creativity, and we actively seek to amplify diverse voices and perspectives within our organization.

Our team's goals for becoming more diverse, equitable, and inclusive are rooted in creating an environment that respects and values the unique contributions of each team member. We prioritize fostering a culture of belonging and equal opportunity, where everyone feels welcomed, supported, and valued. To achieve these goals, we have implemented inclusive hiring practices, ensuring that our recruitment processes consider a broad range of experiences and backgrounds.

In our collaboration with Accountability Lab and Citizen Philadelphia, we are proud to partner with organizations that share our commitment to diversity and inclusion. By working together, we aim to leverage our collective strengths and create meaningful and sustainable change in promoting citizen participation and democracy.

We are continually striving to improve our practices and cultivate a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. By embracing diversity, promoting equity, and fostering inclusion, we believe we can better serve our stakeholders and make a positive impact on the communities we engage with.

Our beneficiaries are residents with voting legibility in the countries that we serve. We have not wanted to turn our beneficiaries into customers through implementing a pay wall. Voter apathy is already a reality and we haven't wanted to create any barrier to accessing this information, especially since it is publicly available anyway. Remaining objective and maintaining the perception of objectivity is critical to the success of the tool, which relies largely on trust, therefore funding streams such as advertising or government/ industry sponsorship are not an option for us. Therefore, to date, we have relied on donor funding and the in kind contributions of the in-country partners that we work with who have a built-in incentive to make the tool a success in their home countries. 

Our model includes the development of a 'white labelled product' and 'toolkit' which CSOs and data science companies can use to deploy MyCandidate in their contexts. Each new deploy will crowd-source features to grow the white labelled product. OCL plans to advise into these deploys and could charge for this service depending on the partner. Given that we are an impact first organisation there will always be an assessment of ability to pay.

Predominantly through sustained donations and grants (as we have done since 2019). Growing into 'consulting' fees for advise, technical assistance, feature builds and deploys which would be paid for by CSOs in countries who see value in the tool.

This project is something we really believe in at Open Cities Lab as we are passionate about participatory democracies. We will always try find a way to ensure that we can continue building and improving this platform and sharing it openly with other countries. This is an ongoing project for us and will not end at the end of this grant period, we will always be looking to improve the site so that people are more informed. 

The previous three iterations of MyCandidate were funded by the Luminate Group, and in kind contributions were made by Odipodev and Orodata. The upcoming Zimbabwe elections and development of the white-labelled tool is being funded through a grant received from the Mozilla Foundation. 

This amount exceeds $100,000 and we are always applying for new grants when possible.