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Local B.C. election website launched

Civic Vote is an excellent resource for voters to learn more about all the candidates and their platforms in their own ridings.

BC Civic Vote 2011 (www.civicvote.ca) is a new website that has launched to connect candidate and constituent in the lead up to next month’s BC local elections on November 19. It allows easy access to information including candidate platforms and an opportunity for constituents to interact with those hoping to become municipal mayors and councillors, school board trustees and regional district representatives.

Civic Vote is an excellent resource for voters to learn more about all the candidates and their platforms in their own ridings. Once all candidates are confirmed, their names will be posted on the site.

Civic Vote is a one-stop shop designed to make it easier for the electorate to evaluate the type of leadership and leaders they want in their communities according to Gary Manson, co-developer of the site. “As a low-cost service for people running for public office and a no cost program for the general public, it is a tremendous resource for candidates and municipalities to promote the upcoming elections.”

Manson also states that “the province has been experiencing abysmal voter turnout at all levels of government elections but none as bad as local elections where only 28 per cent of B.C. eligible voters showed up at the polls in 2008.” He adds, “Low voter turnout is bad for democracy and it’s bad for government. We need to increase voter awareness and get people engaged.”

 

This website is the first in B.C. where candidates can easily integrate a range of social media including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube into their online Candidate descriptions. They also have access to campaign promotional materials where tools like QR coding are easily added to take advantage and leverage latest technologies.