THIS AUGUST, VOTERS will go to the polls and choose from among candidates running in the City Council Democratic primary elections. In Wards 1, 3, 4 and 5, incumbents’ and challengers’ websites are up and populated with a variety of information. In Ward 2, Sally Hart Petersen is challenging Council member Jane Lumm, an Independent, in the Nov. general election.

Ward 4 challenger Jaime Magiera asks visitors to his site to fill out an online survey about their neighborhoods, transit and city government. The survey is a welcome and thoughtful campaign tool. Ward 3 challenger Zach Ackerman was encouraged to run and endorsed by Mayor Chris Taylor. Ackerman makes excellent use of video messaging on his site, even if the style and substance mimic videos done by Taylor during his run for office.

It’s heartening to see City Council candidates make use of multi-media tools to better inform and engage citizens. While Ward 4 challenger Magiera’s survey is long, the thought that has gone into the questions is obvious. Zach Ackerman’s use of video is simple, elegant and helps bring his candidacy to life, as it were.

Ward 1 candidates rely, primarily, on text laden sites. In Ward 5, challenger Chip Smith links to a 90 minute candidate forum video, and one wonders whether voters would wade through the electronic weeds in order to hear what he has to say. Ward 5 incumbent Mike Anglin, offers up multiple videos of his comments during City Council meetings. However, the videos are outdated.

We applaud the candidates who are using multi-media tools to engage voters more profoundly during this election season. We hope all Council candidates will make use of such tools.