How Data Transparency Transforms Democracy

Transformed With Data

The episode of Transformed With Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks about data transparency and civic engagement with Chris Piper, former Virginia Elections Commissioner. Chris discusses his role as Executive Director of Virginia's Public Access Project (VPAP), a nonpartisan organization that makes campaign finance data, election results, and legislative information accessible to citizens. The conversation explores how VPAP transforms complex government data into actionable insights, the importance of state and local politics in daily life, and how informed citizens can effectively engage with their representatives. Chris emphasizes that while federal politics gets most attention, state and local governments handle issues like education, transportation, and public safety that directly impact people's lives. He shares insights about election integrity, the role of data in democracy, and how Virginia legislators agree unanimously on over 75% of votes despite perceived political divisions.

0:00 - Introduction and Chris Piper Background

3:00 - Origins of VPAP in 1996

6:00 - Evolution to VA News Service

9:00 - Civic Navigator Education Program

12:00 - State vs Federal Government Impact

15:00 - Data Shows Unity in Virginia

18:00 - Open Data Challenges

21:00 - Maintaining Nonpartisan Balance

24:00 - News Curation Process

27:00 - Data Maturity Assessment Ad

30:00 - Trust in Media Discussion

33:00 - Education Data Example

36:00 - Elections and Data-Driven Decisions

39:00 - Early Voting Analysis

42:00 - Informed Citizens Impact Policy

45:00 - VPAP as Virginia Unicorn

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Crawford McMillan
• Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP)