Voters need information

I voted Tuesday. But does my vote count? Or rather, should it?

I did not help make our government better by voting. I doubt that 90-plus percent of others did, either.

I read the news daily, I listen to local political commentary, I consume the viewpoints of my friends and colleagues on social media to keep my perspective fresh.

But I looked at my ballot and the names may as well have been written in Mandarin. Sure, I recognized a few names, though more so from a yard sign or advertisement than anything meaningful. I am disappointed in myself that I did not come to vote informed about candidates that reflect my values or interests.

In this day and age of technology and information access, I have to believe that we can create a convenient, non-partisan tool to make voting a more informed, convenient exercise. We must give voters a tool to compare candidates, review voting records of existing candidates (in concise, layperson language) and vote effectively in a world that demands more of our time and attention than ever before.
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James W. Burnes
principal, Vitamin J Digital Agency