To reach out to voters, one candidate in Salina is having people scan a code

A city commission candidate in Salina, Trent Davis, is using yard signs with only a QR code that leads to a survey about local issues. The signs are different from the usual ones with the candidate’s name.

QR codes were invented in 1994 in Japan to label car parts1. They are now used to encode information that can be scanned by optical devices.

The idea of using QR codes on signs came from a discussion between Davis, Phil Black (a former local politician) and Luke Stanford (a university student). They thought it was a new and unique way to reach voters in Salina.

The QR code directs the scanner to a survey that asks them to rank five issues in Salina by importance. Davis hopes to learn more about what the community cares about and to engage them with his campaign.