TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2015 /CNW/ - According to a 2013 study done for GE Capital, 81% of consumers go online before heading out to the store. TheVotersSay.com plans to build on this trend by persuading voters to go online before they head out to the ballot box.
If you can rate books, movies, hotels, and even doctors online - why shouldn't you be able to rate your politicians too?" asks Jeff Harris, creator of the site.
"I'm not new to this," says Harris. "In 1998 I created one of the Internet's most successful consumer complaint sites - TheSqueakyWheel.com. The goal of TheSqueakyWheel.com was to hold retail stores and big corporations accountable for the promises that they made to consumers, and it has been a huge success. I think we probably have one of the highest resolution rates of any consumer complaint site on the internet. Now, we're going to expand our focus to include politicians and the promises that they have made to voters."
TheVotersSay.com isn't like any other political site on the internet," continues Harris. "Not only is our site bigger, covering politicians in English speaking countries across the world, but our rating system is superior. We don't allow users to rate politicians directly. Instead, they rate a politician's actions on a particular issue and then our system automatically calculates an overall rating for the politician. It's an approach that helps to eliminate popularity contests and people voting based on name recognition only."
"TheVotersSay.com is more than just a rating site," explains Harris. "Our site is designed to change a politician's behaviour. When a voter posts an issue page on our site, we actively notify the appropriate politician about the new page. And, to make sure they take the issue seriously, our system automatically segregates votes on the issue into two categories - those that are from voters in the politician's district, and those that are from outside."
It used to be said that voters have short term memories - but not anymore," laughs Harris. "Just before each election, we automatically email reminders to everyone who voted on an issue."
"For me," continues Harris, "it's not about the 'left' or the 'right'. It's not about a single issue or a single election. It's about giving voters across the world the power that's meant to be theirs. It's about eliminating the need for lobbyists and high priced consultants. It's about making sure that voter's voices are heard."
For over 15 years, TheSqueakyWheel Inc. has been helping consumers get refunds, apologies etc. through its online consumer advocacy site, TheSqueakyWheel.com. In 2015, TheSqueakyWheel Inc. launched TheVotersSay.com website to help voters make their voices heard and to hold politicians accountable for promises that they have made.
SOURCE TheVotersSay.com
Image with caption: "TheVotersSay.com (CNW Group/TheVotersSay.com)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150922_C9827_PHOTO_EN_44234.jpg
Contact: Jeff Harris, [email protected], Suite 119, 2-3651 Major Mackenzie Drive West, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, Ph: +905-769-1508
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