The website of an Australian senator and an e-government blogger will line up next to microblogging sensation Twitter and The White House for a prestigious e-democracy award this week.

Two nominations from Australia are vying for the 'Top 10 Who Are Changing The World of Internet and Politics' award, run by PoliticsOnline and the World e-Democracy Forum.

The award recognises outstanding work in the field of e-government.

Past finalists have included the Victorian Government's eGovernment Resource Centre, a portal for e-government strategies, e-democracy initiatives and government website best practices, and GetUp, the online campaign group.

Included in a shortlist of 25 for the 2009 award are Craig Thomler's e-government blog and the website of ACT Senator Kate Lundy.

In summarising its shortlist, PoliticsOnline said that Thomler had "engaged the Australian Government web community with some great examples from within Australia and overseas of how they can provide better government service to Australian citizens using web 2.0 technologies".

According to PoliticsOnline, Senator Lundy was one of the first Australian parliamentarians to manage her own website and an early adopter of political blogging, wikis, online video and Twitter.

"She deserves recognition for the series of public sphere community forums she is currently running," the websites said, "which draw together virtual and physical forums in a series exploring the impact of the internet on Australian government."

Other web initiatives shortlisted for the award include the protestors who used social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to broadcast unrest during the Iranian national elections last month.

In nominating Twitter for the award, PoliticsOnline said that the microblogging site had helped people communicate more effectively despite government restrictions and natural disaster such as last year's Chinese earthquake and the Victorian bushfires.

"Twitter has been aiding in communications during political protests, natural disasters such as the California and Australia wildfires and social movements providing activists a new means to communicate and organise online," the website said.

According to PoliticsOnline, The White House website showed a continuation of US President Barack Obama's pledge to improve communications with ordinary citizens. 

"In this case, he provides the individual citizen information on programs and resources which may impact their daily lives," the website said.

The final 10 nominees will be invited as honoured guests to the World e-Democracy Forum in Issy-les- Moulineaux in Paris later this year, for an awards ceremony.

To vote click here.