Maine, Indiana, Virginia, Delaware, and Arizona have the best state government Web sites in America, according to the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology in state and local government.

The states captured the top five positions, respectively, in the Center's 2004 Best of the Web contest, an annual competition that judges state, city, county, and education Web sites on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality for improved citizen access. Results of the city, county and education categories will be released next week. More than 300 public-sector Web sites entered the contest.

"State governments are building powerhouse portals," said Cathilea Robinett, executive director of the Center for Digital Government. "As a judge of this contest for all of its nine years, I've seen Web sites that come in all shapes and sizes. Today's state government portals are extremely sophisticated, yet very user-friendly to citizens. I am very impressed with the progress that's been made by all of the states."

Everything you ever wanted to know about Maine -- from the judicial branch, legislature, weather, and online services to accessing a citizen alert system, starting a new business, tourism and employment opportunities -- can be found on the state portal (maine.gov). This year's jump to first place from second in 2003 is a testament of how the state has taken a proactive stance on expanding its online presence and service delivery.

"Maine.gov provides an essential service to Maine citizens, businesses and visitors," said Gov. John Baldacci. "The site makes state government more accessible and efficient. We seek to continually improve the portal, offering the best quality source of information to the public."

Gov. Joe Kernan said Indiana owes this award to his state agencies and staff who have worked hard in recent years to develop a Web portal system (accessindiana.com) that provides intuitive and innovative ways to communicate with citizens.

"Hoosiers now can access information and conduct business with the state -- from renewing driver's licenses and filling out permits to applying for professional licenses and reserving campsites -- all online," he said.

Virginia, like all of the top-five winners, has a well-established reputation as a technology leader.Viginia.gov has continued to evolve with the introduction of enterprise solutions and new features that push information to visitors in a user-friendly manner.

"Our real-time online Live Help customer service continues to set the pace for the nation, and the portal's desktop alerts via live RSS feeds ensure that Virginia.gov users always have access to the most current state information," said Gov. Mark Warner. "Our goal is to improve how citizens and businesses interact with Virginia government, and we're proud to be honored by the Center for Digital Government."

This is the first year fourth-place Delaware (delaware.gov) and fifth-place Arizona (az.gov) placed in the top five. The 2003 Best of the Web top winners were Utah, Maine, Indiana, Washington, and Arkansas.

The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policy and best practices in state and local government. The Center is a division of e.Republic, which publishes Government Technology magazine and Public CIO.

For more information on the Best of the Web or Center for Digital Government, contact Rhonda Wilson, communications director, at 916/932-1321 or rwilson@centerdigitalgov.com. KW