Written by: Karen Suhaka | September 25, 2013

In some ways, local elections have far more impact on your daily life than who get elected president, but the local candidates are usually the ones we know the least about.  Sometimes we end up voting for whoever placed the most signs or bought the most advertising.  For most, it’s too much work to do all the research on each of the local and state candidates to make an informed decision.  There is just too many candidates and no good source for unbiased info.  That’s why I started the Vote4.US project. (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/vote4us-a-fun-mobile-app-to-explore-us-politics)

Vote4.US is to voting as eHarmony is to dating.  We will match voters to the perfect candidate just in time for Election Day.  It is social experience with forums to discuss hot issues as well as social media integrations such as Facebook Apps and eventually an election you-pick-em game.  Phone apps and club like self-organizing lobby groups (sometimes called Political Action Committees or PACs) help to engage voters in the political process.  Users are able to volunteer to a campaign to help physically or virtually online.  The fun, social nature of these activities should entice users who otherwise may not be interested in the political process.

Vote4.US is much more than this, though.  With services to candidates like volunteer recruitment, fundraising assistance, campaign tools, reports, and the ability to post poll questions, it will make campaigning a breeze.  It will connect candidates with like-minded voters efficiently without spending big dollars, allowing good candidates to compete more efficiently regardless of budget.  An unbiased playing field will help make the race more about this issues and winning the hearts of the voters than mudslinging and who can advertise more.  This is good for the candidate and even better for Democracy.  That’s why here at Vote4.US we say, “Welcome to Democracy 2.0.”

–Jerry Brower, Founder, Vote4.US

 

 

About BillTrack50 – BillTrack50 offers free tools for citizens to easily research legislators and bills across all 50 states and Congress. BillTrack50 also offers professional tools to help organizations with ongoing legislative and regulatory tracking, as well as easy ways to share information both internally and with the public.