Oulu’s Participatory Budgeting vote is now open: how should the city use 240 000 euros?
The city of Oulu’s Participatory Budgeting has advanced to the voting stage during which the citizens of Oulu get to choose which ideas will be realized with the budget of 240 000 €. This year, Participatory Budgeting is larger than ever. The budget for realizing the citizens’ ideas is three times larger than before.
Citizens may vote for their favorites among the 68 voting proposals. The vote is open from May 6 until May 19. You may read the proposals on the Osallistu Oulu (osallistu.oulu.fi) website. The vote will take place on the site as well.
There are diverse ideas up for the vote in different fields. There are ideas regarding sport and exercise opportunities, hobby activities, well-being, culture and the environment. There are familiar and brand-new ideas among the voting proposals.
“The ideas are located widely in different parts of the city and there are proposals directed at all ages. Everyone is sure to find a proposal they will want to vote for”, the city of Oulu’s Interaction Designer Anne Kippola explains.
“I encourage everyone to read through the proposals and find their favorites.”
The voting takes place on the Osallistu Oulu website
All citizens of Oulu who turn 13 this year and older are eligible to vote. Each voter may choose to vote on as many proposals as they wish within the budget, or choose to vote on one proposal that is important to them. Based on the voting result, the city of Oulu will realize the ideas that received the most votes and fit into the budget of 240 000 €.
The voting takes place online with electronic authorization with your bank information or mobile certificate. Students of the city of Oulu’s schools may vote with their school account. There are more detailed voting instructions on the Osallistu Oulu website. Additionally, there are contact information on the site which you may contact if you have questions about the vote or the website.
The city responded to every idea
In January, the citizens of Oulu came up with a record number of ideas to promote the comfort and well-being of Oulu’s citizens on the Osallistu Oulu website. After the idea period, all ideas that fit the participatory budgeting criteria and were realizable were further developed into voting proposals with the city’s specialists and different sectors.
All realizable ideas advanced to the vote. The ideas were evaluated on, for example, whether the idea falls on the city’s jurisdiction or responsibility. Similarly, the ideas were evaluated on whether the idea fits in the budget and if they can be realized within the participatory budgeting schedule during 2024. The idea processing also evaluated whether Oulu is already working on the idea.
The city has responded to each idea during the spring on the Osallistu Oulu website – including the ideas that did not advance to the vote this time. All ideas have also been discussed with the city’s different sectors.
The goal of participatory budgeting is increasing the citizens’ opportunities to influence and participate as well as promoting dialogue between the citizens and the city.