Gongwer has released their new Michigan election year app for iOS and Android, and the staff at Martin Waymire decided to take it for a spin.
There isn’t a discounted rate for current subscribers, and we suffered a little sticker shock at the $9.99 price tag. While it is pricey, the app undoubtedly offers some really unique features, especially if you’re trying to find out information on-the-fly about candidates in the upcoming election at both the state and congressional levels.
Right now all of their information is available on the primary election tab, and if you click on it you’ll see gubernatorial, congressional and state races.
The app breaks down candidates and includes links to their social media accounts, a personal biography, and a link to their campaign finance information – something we thought was really unique. All of this information is available online through a quick Google search, but it’s nice to have it consolidated into one app and readily available for political geeks (like yours truly).
Another useful feature is the candidate analysis that provides insight on both candidates and how they stack up against one another. It seems fair and relatively balanced — our only criticism is that it might have offered more insight on recent events and how that could impact either candidate at the polls. A great example is in the governor’s race — transportation funding failed to pass in the Legislature, and that could be a hot topic for constituents across the state in November.
Overall, the Michigan election year app from Gongwer is easy to navigate, thorough and has great content. The app would definitely earn our staff’s votes.
