About

Since its founding in 2003, OpenPittsburgh.Org has worked to promote the concept and implementation of open government in Pittsburgh.   OpenPittsburgh.Org is registered with the County Elections Division as the election committee supporting its primary focus, the Open Government Amendment to the Pittsburgh City Charter.

With open government in a representative democracy dependent upon secure elections, in 2013 OpenPittsburgh.Org added the issue of obtaining secure voting systems in Pennsylvania and Allegheny County.   After the 2016 presidential election and the controversy of Pennsylvania's inability to audit or recount the election votes, OpenPittsburgh.Org took the lead in developing the strategy and drafting an Allegheny County ordinance that would create an expert Voting Process Review Commission to identify the optimum voting system and place a referendum on the ballot for the electorate to approve or disapprove.

OpenPittsburgh.Org is currently the lead plaintiff in litigation challenging the County's refusal to consider obtaining a new voting system.   OpenPittsburgh.Org is currently petitioning to place questions of the Spring ballot in May, 2018 which would require the use of secure, human readable paper ballots as part of a new voting system which the voters of individual municipalities can require for their local voting districts.

The Open Government Amendment Election Committee and OpenPittsburgh.Org's Board consists of:

• David Tessitor, Chair
• Hal Dixler, Treasurer
• William Lawrence III