San Rafael, CA -- A new smartphone-friendly website has been developed to help Marin County voters make their choices about political candidates and measures on the Nov. 5 general election ballot.
M.marinvotes.org/voterguide/ was developed by the Marin County Information Services and Technology (IST) Department team and made its debut Oct. 3. It includes all information that can be found in the hard-copy voter guide and sample ballot. Voters can study the candidates and issues and then fill out a sample ballot with all their choices, saving it to pull out in the polling station or for filling out a mail-in ballot.
“More people are relying on their smart phones to get information,” said Elaine Ginnold, Marin County’s Registrar of Voters. “The phone-friendly website makes the Marin sample ballot and voter information available to Marin voters whenever they have the time to read it and wherever they are in the world.”
Chris White, a member of the IST web development team, said the new offerings serve as a follow-up to the smartphone application that was created in November 2012 for iPhones and Androids. The new website replaces that phone app.
“People really liked it and used it,” White said. “Now, with the improved website, you can use it on any smartphones, Kindles, Nooks, PCs and Macs. What we’ve done covers a lot more territory.”
The website has an “app look” to it and is browser based, White said. Information available on website includes candidate statements, background on ballot measures, polling place locations and links to the State of California Elections Office for those who have not registered to vote.
The County will continue to offer printed Voter Guides for future elections.