Open Illinois.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2009

CONTACT:
Ryan McLaughlin, 312-588-4102, ryan@macstrategiesgroup.com
Kristina Rasmussen, 217-801-5516, krasmussen@illinoispolicyinstitute.org

Today, the Illinois Policy Institute, the state’s leading free market think tank, announced the launch of Tweet Illinois, a website designed to encourage better communication between legislators and constituents.  Tweet Illinois (found at www.tweetillinois.org) uses Twitter, the popular social networking site, to better link citizens and their representatives.

“Tweet Illinois offers an exciting new way for citizens to communicate with their representatives in Springfield, and vice versa,” said Kristina Rasmussen, Executive Vice President, Illinois Policy Institute. “Twitter has been used successfully in a number of fields to enhance connectivity and understanding.  What better arena to use it than in politics?”

Tweet Illinois echoes the format of a successful national site, Tweet Congress, where national representatives “tweet” real-time updates to their constituents using Twitter, the popular online social networking service. Tweet Illinois gathers the short, electronic messages (or “tweets”) of Illinois legislators and publishes them in a central location.

“Many members of Congress use Twitter to directly communicate about key issues with constituents, activists, and media sources,” Rasmussen said. “And some early adapters are already using it in Springfield, including Senator Bill Brady, Representative John Fritchey, Representative Susana Mendoza and many others.”

Legislators can schedule an introduction to Tweet Illinois.org by calling Kristina Rasmussen at 217.801.5516 or through email at krasmussen@illinoispolicyinstitute.org.