Voter's guide goes high-tech: App for June 5 election goes live
- May 8, 2012
By Jason Hoppin
Bay Area News Group Staff Writer
SANTA CRUZ — Itching to read the ballot arguments on local school parcel tax proposals but can’t wait to get home to your voter guide? Now there’s an app for that.
Santa Cruz is one of three counties statewide to get a voter’s guide smart-phone application under a pilot program being run by a Cal State East Bay political science professor. Voters can now look up what they’ll be voting for, candidate info and statements, ballot arguments, endorsements and even opt out of receiving paper guides with the swipe of a finger.
“I think for voters who like having their iPhone as the source of their information, this is a great tool,” Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin said.
The “Santa Cruz Voter Guide” is available for iPhones, iPads and Android phones. While you can’t vote by phone (yet), the app does let voters enter their address and fill out a sample ballot to use as a cheat sheet for the June 5 election.
Developed by Cal State East Bay professor Elizabeth Bergman, the app will be available for the primary vote only. If enough users download it and opt out of paper guides, the county may make it available for the November general election.
“We’re trying something. We’re trying to make information very accessible,” Pellerin said.
The app is also available for Shasta and San Mateo county voters.
TO DOWNLOAD APP
Go to iTunes or Google Play (formerly Android Market) and search for ‘Santa Cruz Voter Guide.’ After downloading, enter your email address and answer whether you want to decline a paper guide before proceeding to the main guide.