Crowdsourcing Accountability of the Electoral Campaign in Portugal

[All links lead to Portuguese language pages.]

In the run up for this week's municipal elections in Portugal, the platform Campanha Limpa (Clean Campaign) invites all citizens to help monitor electoral spending, by sending pictures of campaign materials such as posters, banners, signs, gifts and treats, rallies and events.

The platform, an initiative of Transparência e Integridade Associação Cívica (Transparency and Integrity, Civic Association), or TIAC, provides a map and instructions for participants, as well as legal documents and real time statistics:

The most voted gift, by far right political party PNR. "The best photos will be featured and used to illustrate the (a)typical folklore of the electoral campaign, in the Portuguese way."

The most voted gift (on September 24, 2013): food by far right political party PNR (National Renovator Party). “The best photos will be featured and used to illustrate the (a)typical folklore of the electoral campaign, in the Portuguese way.”

os dados recolhidos sobre o número e o custo dos cartazes espalhados pelo país [são conferidos] e [comparados] com os orçamentos de campanha entregues pelos candidatos.

collected data on the number and cost of posters spread throughout the country [is verified] and compared with the budget of the campaign previously delivered by the candidates.

Citizens can report via mobile with an Android app.

The electoral campaign started on September 17 and lasts until Friday, September 27. The vote will take place on September 29. About 1,500 candidates (some more eccentric than others) are running for 308 municipalities.

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