This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ for current information.
Smart Voter from LWV November 2, 1999 General Election

Our Feedback

. . . What Our Users Told Us

These are the most of the comments received from voters and candidates. The first section includes the compliments from voters and candidates. The second section includes suggestions or complaints. All comments are unedited. We will reformat these and publish the good ones soon.

Thank yous...

I just discovered the League of Women voters web site - wonderful. Thanks for a great educational tool. --El Dorado County

We have been using the website for two years. We depend on this source for 24 hr information that we can trust! We hate the "newspaper endorsement" pages in our local papers. I do not care what they like. (probably endorsed by $$$) Thank you so much for making this information available. Democracy can only work in an educated public. Thank You!! --Hamilton Co., OH

My ballot information never arrived, so I turned to the Internet to see what was available on the election in my neighborhood. To my surprise, I discovered your invaluable site! In the past, the candidates for those lesser-known offices on local boards and councils seemed so anonymous. There was so little information available about them. At last, I finally know who I'm voting for and feel as though I am making an educated decision. --San Mateo Co.

It was wonderful to easily find where I go to vote, because I must have thrown out the papers I received. --San Francisco

This site is fantastic... Something easy to use (love that just punch in zip code) This is the type of tool which will increase voter turnout. Saw it in sample ballot....would have missed it otherwise, need to get this site known to everyone...How? --Marin County

Thank you SO MUCH for initiating this site. It cuts through to the candidates and issues I need to focus on. A great help. I'd like to appeal to ALL the candidates to submit their profiles and answers. --Hamilton Co., OH

[somewhat solicited...] Well, given that plug, I went to your "smartvoter" site, got my ballot list, and looked up some of the candidate's sites. This is what the internet is SUPPOSED to be used for! Nice job. --Santa Clara

Dear Warren, Thank you for providing a better means connecting Government to the people. I feel it is in the best interest to the people to provide many avenues to receive convienent information,being that society is running at mach speed and having limited time to participate in "OUR GOVERNMENT" directions. Of course the ultimate goal would be being able to VOTE online and to interact with questions ,concerns to the individual candidate.Keep it simply and efficient. Keep up the good work. Best Regards, Al Mora --San Mateo

You provide a most valuable service to the community. I find the information on the website very helpful as I make my choices on the candidates and issues in the election. Thanks and keep up the good work! --Hamilton Co., OH

This is such an EXCELLENT idea and source of information. I only wish it was available for my home county. (I work in Cincinnati in Hamilton County, but live and vote in Northern Kentucky in Boone County.) Do you know of any similar resources for my area? --Kentucky

I followed the link on the new Mississippi state LWV site: http://www.lwv-ms.org to find your excellent voter resources. --Jackson Co., MS

Thanks for all your work on Stanislaus County. It is so attractive. Even more than last year's. I can't tell you how exciting & satisfying it is to see our county up. We've waited a long time. Yipee. --Stanislaus

Finally, a way to determine candidates positions on issues without having to resort to reading and translating from the Bee. And also without having to attend forums. I wasn't finished. Sorry about that. Work on those other candidates and get them to supply some information on themselves. --Stanislaus

In the general section listing the candidates for City Council, you say "vote for 1" when in actuality it should read "vote for 5". Thanks for a great web site! --Orange

While searching the web for information regarding constitutional amendments on the ballot for the Bexar County, Texas, November election I came upon your site. I was disappointed to see only CA an OH represented. Why? Regards, --Texas

Very good. Keep up the good work. --Stanislaus

This really looks great. Thanks for all your hard work. --Contra Costa

This is a great idea. I would like to see it more complete though for all candidates. Thanks for doing this. --Marin Co.

Is there a way to publish on your terrific site how many hits it gets. It would be nice to have an idea of how many voters use the web for voter info. thanks. --San Mateo County

Hi; This is a fine idea. I am glad to have been able to fine it. Now we will see if this website will accept an e-mail from me. Many others haven't. --San Mateo County

Thank you for this informative web site. I misplaced my ballot and was relieved to find so much here. A note: some of the links for San Rafael(94901) didn't work. I.E. papers, individuals' links. Thanks! --Marin County

Hi: Do you know if theres a reason why the Hamilton County issues are not being shown on local television channels websites? Your site was the ONLY location where they were all listed. I went WCPO, WKRC and WXIX-issue one results was the only one listed. Is this the latest craze to pull the wool over the voters eyes-if you lose cover it up, or if you win cover it up so you can win again. Thanks, --Hamilton Co., OH Thank you for this site and posting election results. We were not able to find results in the Sacramento BEE! --El Dorado County

I am a student at Palo Alto highschool, and am currently doing a project on the school board race. I found this site very usefull, even if i just found it seven hours before the project is due. The only missing information i could see was how and where the candidates cash was raised and spent. On the whole i think its a well organized and helpfull tool for the informed and uninformed voter alike. --Santa Clara Co

From Candidates

Thank you League of Women Voters for allowing all candidates for this election to present their message to the voters free of charge which is significant given that we have a small budget to begin with. Your help was fantastic. Thank you again. --Alameda Co.

I appreciate the opportunity to be involved with a group that allows candidates to place information for all to view. It encourages the voters to use information and hopefully go out and exercise the right to vote. Thank you and I hope that this grows to a much larger audience in the future. --Stanislaus

I think this is a great idea. I am a candidate and will be submitting my information. Just want to point out that you need to edit you Smart Voter info for spelling and other errors. Thanks again. --Alameda

Thanks for the opportunity to submit our information. you have provided a great service. however, while we see the info regarding one of our opponents (martin zitter) is available to the general public we have not yet seen ours. it still says we haven't responded to the offer. can you give us any feedback? --Los Angeles

I sent in my photo on Monday and was wondering if you recieved it via e-mail? Please let me know if you need me to re-send the photo. Thank you for allowing me the opertunity to be on this web site!!!!!!!!!! --Stanislaus

Fine design, well organized but difficult to sort out how candidates can update their campaign info. Perhaps that is for security purposes. Perhaps we can add audio, if you need any help let me know. How about some channel 31 debates on TCSD Director and the S. Marin Fire District race...? All the best, Thanks, --Marin

I am a candidate in Humboldt county and wish to thank the League of Women Voters for this web site. I'm running a very limited campaine and would not of had any kind of web site. I hope you continue this site in the future and that more candidates use it. Thank you very mush --Humboldt

Thank you for initiating this important service to the voters; an informed citizenry promotes a healthy democracy. While I hope voters will consider voting for me, I encourage all community members to exercise their rights and democratic responsibility.Patriots around the world have fought and died for the privilege to vote.What public service could be more important than voting? I appreciate your commitment to this important work! --Orange Co.

Questions or Suggestions

Reflecting on school board elections in general after the contentious election here in the Princeton school district, I think it would be very helpful to note whether the candidates have school age children and whether these children are (or perhaps have ever been in the local school district). Many of our local candidates proudly list themselves as being users of the public school system which then makes me wonder about those who do not. Are they utilizers of Christian, parochial, or other private schools and what does that say about the person's motivation and personal agenda in seeking the seat? Of course I also scrutinize for age which helps rule some candidates out from active parenting but usually leaves others in a gray area. --Hamilton Co., OH

11/12/99 I would like to speak with someone from the League of Women Voters to learn more about what services they can provide for people with disabilities to help during registration, voting and practicing how to use the elections booths. I can be reached at 408/554-9705 or lorreleon@aol.com or 198 North Cypress Ave., Santa Clara, CA 95050 Thank you very much. --Santa Clara, CA

I need to get in touch with somebody from your organization in order to help assist me in retrieving voter turn out figures within a specific precinct for purposes of an undergraduate project to promote community and democracy. Can anybody help??? Please either email or call any one of the following numbers. day# 213-892-4628 Eve# 909-394-1626 --Los Angeles

Where can I access contributions to each candidate? --Stanislaus

How can I find out if I am registered to vote? --Iowa

It's nearly 10:00 a.m. the day after the election. Why are no election results available? --Humboldt

Why didn't you bother to put information about all the candidates. Seems quite selective! --Gilroy, Santa Clara Co, CA (ensuing email conversation with coordinator perhaps resulted in a new member or volunteer!)

This guide would be easier if I could simply gain a listing of all the contests that would appear on my election ballot. As it is currently constructed, I have to search through each city, school district, etc. to gain information pertinent to my ballot. --Los Angeles County

The address 2458 West Bayshore Road in 94303 is in Santa Clara County, not San Mateo County. --San Mateo County. (Carl handled all of these quickly.)

The information I really needed but couldn't find was WHERE I need to go to vote today. My guess is that many others who want to vote wont today because they don't know where to go. Thanks for listening, Jim Hobson (The customer should be assumed correct, but I don't know why he couldn't find his polling place info.) --San Francisco

We have not received voter imformation in our regular mail. I'm not even sure the election date. Even the article in the Modesto did not mention the date. (Nov.2) We always vote! I have loged on to this site, and there is nothing about Merced county, in which we live. I understand that it is a poor county, but we need imformation probable more than others. --Stanislaus Co.

Updated information about Nancy Stoltz (Mill Valley City Council) was uploaded 5 hours ago (it's now 8 p.m. the night before the election), yet it doesn't appear on this website. Why? --Marin County

There is a School Board and a Community College Board election in Compton California.....Why aren't they listed? --Los Angeles Co.

Why is the Palo Alto daily news newspaper linked to stories and the Palo Alto Weekly not? --Santa Clara Co.

I will again be the Libertarian Party candidate for U.S. Congress, District 18. Would you be so kind as to forward to me by US mail or E-mail, the instructions/information I will need in order to take advantage of the SmartVoter candidate webpage, etc. Thank you very much, --Stanislaus

I put my address (1616 Dominion Ave) and zip code (91104) into the My Ballot search, but ended up getting the full Los Angeles County page. I thought I was only supposed to get the races I can vote for - Pasadena Community College District and Pasadena Unified School District. Otherwise, great site! --Los Angeles Co.

Why are some candidates' names in blue and underlined, while others are in blck without underline? --Marin County

Please email me instructions to fill out the candidate info I am running for RSM City council. Thank you. --Orange Co.

I have few questions: 1.How long dos it noemally take to update the candidates inforamtion onto your web site? 2. Why don't you list the candidates in order that they appear on the ballot statement? 3. I have submitted information on Pat Schulz, who is a School Board Candidate fot hte Las Virgenes School District located in The county of Los Angeles, and it has not been posted yet? Thank You, --Los Angeles County

The one piece of informaiton that seems to be missing is political party affiliation. I don't seem to be able to find out which party the mayoral candidates belong to. Am I missing something? --Stanislaus County

I'm a candidate for Fairfax Town Council and have finally returned to enter my information, but have forgotten my password. Help! (please) How embarrassing! --Marin Co.

I would like to add this site to my website. Do you have a banner or graphic I can use? I fully support voting rights and would like to pass the message along. My webpage is .... Thank you. --Solano Co.

I would like to run for city council. I am a native venturan.I graduated from ventura high in 1977. Although i have never been involved with any level of politics, i feel that i have a good understanding of what it is the people of ventura need. I have been employed in the oil business for many years here as well as public relation's with my business in the construction trade. Please notify me about where to sign up and become a Candidate. Thank You --Ventura Co.

How do I change my voting place from McKinleyville to Eureka? I have changed my address and I am concerned that I will not be able to vote because I have moved. --Humboldt Co.

[Many notes not included from candidates wanting to know why their info is not yet public or how can they enter or edit their data. Or password forgotten.]

Unless noted, names of counties are in California.
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Copyright © 1999 League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
The League of Women Voters neither supports nor opposes candidates for public office or political parties.