Rail is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or representing any government entity, candidate, campaign, or special interest group. Proposals, Petitions, and Votes on Rail, including those on real bills, are expressions of the Rail community only. They do not constitute official government action, legislative outcomes, or legally binding processes.
Get Democracy on Track
Rail is a platform designed to get democracy on track. It gives our users a space to freely express their ideas and solutions. Our proposals are drafted in the style of legislative bills so they feel familiar and easy to understand, but they are created by the community, not by government officials. These proposals can be refined and voted on within Rail. When a proposal gains enough support, Rail may forward it to local representatives as a community petition to raise awareness.
Roadmap
Day One
- Multi-Platform: Rail is multi-platform and will launch on Android, iOS and iPad.
- Community: View, match, follow and interact with others in a vibrant civic-focused community.
- Proposals: Create your own community-driven proposals to tackle important issues and share them with others on Rail.
- Petitioning: With enough in-app support, Rail will create an informational Petition on your behalf and send it to your elected officials to highlight community interest.
- Vote & Match: Vote on Proposals to share your stance on various topics. See how your views align with others on Rail.
- Topics: Pick up to ten key topics and Rail will curate your matches, helping you discover like-minded people and meaningful Proposals tailored to what drives you.
- Reviews: Share feedback on Proposals to help the community grow better together.
On the Horizon
- Congressional Bills: Explore and vote on real current and historical bills and see how you match with those in the community and elected officials.
- Call to Action: Share your opinion fast with quick access to elected official communication channels.
- Representatives: View bios, contact information, history and voting records of elected officials.
- Elections: View upcoming and historical elctions based on your location.
- Ballot Measures: View upcoming and historical ballot measures based on your location.
- Voter Registration: With the help of Vote.gov, learn how to register to vote in your area.
- Enhanced Search: Find Proposals, Users, Bills and elected officials with ease.
- Signature: Show your support for any petitioned Proposal.
Down the Road
- Proposals Recommendations: Use in-house AI to recommend a Title or Topics for your Proposal.
- Rider Detection: See at a glance if a congressional bill container "riders".
- Action Groups: Joing groups and collaborate with others on Proposals.
- Versioned Proposals: Amend your Proposals and track their performance over time.
- Run for Office: Learn how to run for office within your community.
- Polls: Share your feedback on on trending themes and issues in society.
- Town Hall: Engage in interactive town hall sessions online.
- Transparency in Donations: Learn who your elected officials are getting donations from.
Our Team
Andy Tran
andy.tran@sunami.io
Product Designer
Graduating from NC State University in Graphic Design, Andy would pursue a career in UX. Working in start-ups and corporations gave him the experience and urge to solve everyday problems that people face, so in turn they can focus on what they love to do, best. Rail exemplifies this, by gathering sources from PoliSci professors, he designed this app that focuses on empowering the people when it comes to politics. Andy's drive is his vision of a world where everyone can thrive to reach the Adjacent Possible.
Brian Moore
brian.moore@sunami.io
Software Engineer
Brian is a self-taught full-stack developer with a proven track record of turning complex ideas into impactful, high-performance applications using expertise spanning cloud computing, modern front-end frameworks, and serverless architectures. Over his career, Brian has built innovative solutions for industries ranging from finance to public safety, earning recognition for both technical excellence and creative problem-solving. Driven by curiosity and a passion for continuous learning, he brings a unique blend of technical depth, adaptability, and vision to every project he takes on.
Shayla Nasiri
shayla.nasiri@sunami.io
Operations Manager
Graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Political Science, Shayla began her career in the legal field before pivoting to finance, where she has since built deep expertise in risk management and governance. Her work focuses on identifying and mitigating organizational risks while strengthening oversight frameworks to ensure accountability and compliance. Driven by a lifelong passion for human rights, Shayla brings a principled lens to her work, advocating for ethical practices and equitable systems both within institutions and in the broader community.
Upcoming Events
Join our monthly in-person Civic Tech Meetup! We'll be giving updates on Rail's progress and direction. The rest of the evening will be conversations, connections, and creativity at the intersection of civic engagement and technology. So come share your ideas, meet like-minded people, and explore how technology can get democracy on track!
Data Sources
Rail provides access to real political data, such as candidates, bills, voting records, upcoming elections and ballot measures. All political data on Rail is provided by Vote Smart. Vote Smart aggregates information from verified, publicly available government sources, including: www.congress.gov, clerk.house.gov, www.senate.gov, and www.fec.gov.