1) The document summarizes a citizen engagement initiative called "Ponte pa' tu país" launched by the 2012 presidential campaign of Danilo Medina in the Dominican Republic. 2) The initiative allowed citizens to submit proposals online, vote on proposals, and have the most popular ideas incorporated into the government's policy platform. Over 3,000 proposals were submitted and 500 evaluated. 3) The initiative helped grow Medina's social media following substantially and understand that citizens are politically organizing through social channels without traditional parties or media. It showed a new way of doing politics is possible through digital civic participation.

1. #pontepatupais
#caribgrowth

2. Late 2011: political context...
• Danilo Medina’s campaign had started. Had a 3-axis
claim: “Correct what’s wrong”, “Continue what’s
right” and “Do what’s never been done”.
• Polls indicated a closed difference between Danilo
Medina and Hipólito Mejía (his main opponent)1.
• Out of a universe of 6.5 million voters, the 18-29
years old segment weighed 27%2.
• Social media channels have been used up to that
day as a way of citizen pressure.
1 La guerra de encuestas
2 Jóvenes estudiantes decidirán elecciones

3. the challenges
1. Turn yo ung people into the important
stakeho lders of the campaign, providing an
scenario where they could express their vission
of the Dom inican Republic they dream of.
2. Raise the level of th
e political debate
among dominicans.
3. P romote a culture
of cit izen participation
regardless of political affiliation.
4. Seek fo r consensus about what the
popu lation thinks needs to be
done, corrected & continued.

4. A virtual plataform for citizen engagement regardless of political
affiliation, where people could subm it proposals, vote & comment
t
on them. The most valued ideas would become part of the governmen
program of Dan ilo Medina & Margarita Cedeño.

5. the process...
Post Votet
n
See
your & comme ideas
proposal on proposals in action

14. key dates...
01.31.2012 03.22.2012 04.12.2012
Started proposals' Ended “Government
submissions proposals' Plan” National
submittions Presentation
+15 offline seminars 04.05.2012
+1000 trained on Ended
how to use the proposals'
platform evaluation

15. results
• Most used hashtag on the 2012 presidential campaign
• Twitter: 31% growth of followers (from 22.8K to 33K) in 3 months
• Facebook: 44% growth of fans (from 130.5K to 233.5K) in 3 months
Lanzamiento
“Ponte pa’ tu país”

16. results...
3027 524 364 y 32
proposals published evaluated b incorporated
proposals 1409 the technical in government
4425
submitted votes comments
comittee plan

18. results...
Top 15 subjects:
Education 67 proposals 609 votes
Public Administration 38 proposals 403 votes
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises 10 proposals 284 votes
Transportation 25 proposals 209 votes
Environment 17 proposals 186 votes
Infraestructure 23 proposals 184 votes
Art & Culture 15 proposals 131 votes
Public Safety 18 proposals 124 votes
Social Assistance 16 proposals 123 votes
Energy 16 proposals 122 votes
Innovation, Science & Technology 12 proposals 120 votes
Turismo 19 proposals 111 votes
Health 15 proposals 110 votes
Employment 10 proposals 106 votes
Tax Reform 11 proposals 96 votes

19. key takeaways...
Understand Change:
Citizens are politically organizing themselves
through social channels, without parties,
without traditional media.
Innovation = New way of doing politics is
possible:
First iniciative, in América Latina y the
Caribbean to allow citizens to submit proposals
to be included in a government program.

20. Thanks!
Claudia Chez Abreu
Digital Communications Director
Danilo Medina 2012 Presidential Campaign
@cchez