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Cyber Candidates Ease Voters Lives
by Dan Dodson (Published in "Letters to the Editor, Trenton Times, 3/24/06")
Trenton's election season is heating up and many of our Mayoral and Council candidates have prepared web sites to explain their positions, present their credentials and raise money. In a few clicks voters can learn enough to make an informed decision. That is, of course, if the candidates take the time to publicize their platform on the Internet.
Sadly, several Trenton candidates haven't troubled themselves to create a simple web site.
Perhaps our candidates don't think Trentonians are smart enough to use the Internet. Perhaps they're just behind the times (by about 10 years) or perhaps they just don't have anything to say. If they won't communicate their positions now, why would you expect them to run an open government once they're in office?
A quick Google shows that John Ungrady is an Internet non-entity as are Paul Pintella and Cordelia Staton. Manny Segura is missing and so are Milford Bethea and Alex Bethea. John Harmon's site is a place-holder when it works at all, as is Mayor Palmer's.
Several Candidates have excellent sites. Frank Weeden’s gives thoughtful presentations of his issues as does Jim Carlucci’s. Tony Mack’s site doesn't talk about issues but has plenty of family pictures. However, the best site belongs to Jim Coston, running for South Ward Council. Frank Sasso developed the site and gave it a slick interface with plenty of features and excellent narrative that quickly gives the voter insight into Coston’s campaign.
Trenton is trying to catch up to the rest of New Jersey, we need more candidates who communicate in the language of 21st century.
Dan Dodson
Trenton, NJ
Proprietor, trentonlofts.com
Leadership Trenton, 2002
Copyright 2005, Dan Dodson
