Review of ideas and ballot line-up

When the collection of ideas ends, it is time to review the ideas. All submitted ideas are reviewed and assessed as to whether they comply with the project's rules and are feasible.

After the review, ballots will be lined up, where 25 ideas will be voted on in the districts of Reykjavík. Ideas are then initially designed for elections, where a project description is written for the idea, the location is found and the idea is cost-evaluated.

Ideas are reviewed after they are collected. A committee from the City reviews all proposals to ensure alignment with the project rules. Of those ideas, 15 of the most popular ideas in each district will automatically be on the ballot. for the voting. The district’s residents’ council then selects 10 additional ideas on the ballot.  

Ideas to be implemented in areas/lots that have specific roles such as in sports areas, swimming pools, and school ground need to be examined closely. In some cases, idea creators are contacted to further clarify or modify an idea so that it meets the rules of the project. All ideas will receive a response.

A large number of experts are consulted within and outside the administration to assess whether ideas fit with the rules of the project and whether they are feasible. The list of consulted people varies from year to year, but in recent years we have, among others, consulted:

• Transportation Division
• Department of Nature & Parks
• Planning Officer
• City History Museum
• City Attorney
• Libraries & Art Galleries
• Relevant City departments (for example, the Departments of Education & Youth and Sports & Leisure)
• Association of Icelandic Visual Artists

• It must be a new implementation – maintenance and safety projects are directed elsewhere
• It cannot cost more money than the district is allocated
• It may not require significant operational expenses, such as for staffing or monitoring with security cameras
• It must be feasible within the project time frame - meaning by the end of 2024
• It must adhere to the planning and stated strategy of Reykjavik City
• It must fall within Reykjavik City’s mandate
• It must be in an open space and on City land
• It must comply with laws and regulations

After reviewing ideas for My Neighborhood, it was time to finalize the ideas for the ballot for next fall's vote. Only ideas meeting the project's rules and conditions had the chance to be included on the ballots for each district.
Each district in Reykjavík has a ballot set up with 25 ideas, comprised of the 15 most popular ideas and 10 additional ideas chosen by the residents’ council of each neighborhood. Next, the preliminary design of the ideas takes place where a project description is written and the cost of the project is estimated. This helps voters to get a clear picture of each project for the voting.