BallotReady MCP Server for Windsurf 10 tools — connect in under 2 minutes
Windsurf brings agentic AI coding to a purpose-built IDE. Connect BallotReady through Vinkius and Cascade will auto-discover every tool. ask questions, generate code, and act on live data without leaving your editor.
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Vinkius supports streamable HTTP and SSE.
Vinkius Desktop App
The modern way to manage MCP Servers — no config files, no terminal commands. Install BallotReady and 2,500+ MCP Servers from a single visual interface.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ballotready": {
"url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/[YOUR_TOKEN_HERE]/mcp"
}
}
}
* Every MCP server runs on Vinkius-managed infrastructure inside AWS - a purpose-built runtime with per-request V8 isolates, Ed25519 signed audit chains, and sub-40ms cold starts optimized for native MCP execution. See our infrastructure
About BallotReady MCP Server
Empower your AI agent to navigate the complex landscape of civic engagement with BallotReady, the leading platform for nonpartisan election information. By connecting BallotReady to your agent, you transform dense voter data into a natural conversation. Your agent can instantly identify upcoming local, state, and national elections based on a specific address, retrieve detailed candidate profiles, audit voting districts, and even explain ballot measures without you ever searching through government portals. Whether you're building a voter outreach tool or a civic dashboard, your agent acts as a direct, reliable bridge to the democratic process.
Windsurf's Cascade agent chains multiple BallotReady tool calls autonomously. query data, analyze results, and generate code in a single agentic session. Paste Vinkius Edge URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available. Real-time tool feedback appears inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor.
What you can do
- Election Discovery — Find all upcoming elections (local, state, and federal) based on any physical address in the United States.
- Candidate Profiling — Retrieve comprehensive profiles for candidates running for office, including their positions and bios.
- District Mapping — Instantly match any address to its specific voting districts to understand local representation.
- Ballot Insights — Access and explain specific ballot measures and referendums for upcoming elections directly from chat.
- Officeholder Auditing — List current officeholders for specific districts to maintain an accurate view of elected leadership.
The BallotReady MCP Server exposes 10 tools through the Vinkius. Connect it to Windsurf in under two minutes — no API keys to rotate, no infrastructure to provision, no vendor lock-in. Your configuration, your data, your control.
How to Connect BallotReady to Windsurf via MCP
Follow these steps to integrate the BallotReady MCP Server with Windsurf.
Open MCP Settings
Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Add the server
Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Save and reload
Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Start using BallotReady
Open Cascade and ask: "Using BallotReady, help me...". 10 tools available
Why Use Windsurf with the BallotReady MCP Server
Windsurf provides unique advantages when paired with BallotReady through the Model Context Protocol.
Windsurf's Cascade agent autonomously chains multiple tool calls in sequence, solving complex multi-step tasks without manual intervention
Purpose-built for agentic workflows. Cascade understands context across your entire codebase and integrates MCP tools natively
JSON-based configuration means zero code changes: paste a URL, reload, and all 10 tools are immediately available
Real-time tool feedback is displayed inline, so you see API responses directly in your editor without switching contexts
BallotReady + Windsurf Use Cases
Practical scenarios where Windsurf combined with the BallotReady MCP Server delivers measurable value.
Automated code generation: ask Cascade to fetch data from BallotReady and generate models, types, or handlers based on real API responses
Live debugging: query BallotReady tools mid-session to inspect production data while debugging without leaving the editor
Documentation generation: pull schema information from BallotReady and have Cascade generate comprehensive API docs automatically
Rapid prototyping: combine BallotReady data with Cascade's code generation to scaffold entire features in minutes
BallotReady MCP Tools for Windsurf (10)
These 10 tools become available when you connect BallotReady to Windsurf via MCP:
get_account_check
Verify BallotReady connection
get_ballot_measures
Retrieve ballot measures for a specific election
get_candidate
Get detailed profile for a specific candidate
get_districts_by_address
Convenience tool to get districts by address
get_elections_by_address
Convenience tool to get elections by address
get_officeholders
Retrieve current officeholders for districts
list_candidates
List candidates running for office
list_districts
Match an address to specific voting districts
list_elections
Find upcoming elections based on a specific address
list_positions
List specific offices up for election
Example Prompts for BallotReady in Windsurf
Ready-to-use prompts you can give your Windsurf agent to start working with BallotReady immediately.
"What elections are coming up for the address 123 Main St, Chicago, IL?"
"Show me the profile for candidate ID 98765."
"Which voting districts cover 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC?"
Troubleshooting BallotReady MCP Server with Windsurf
Common issues when connecting BallotReady to Windsurf through the Vinkius, and how to resolve them.
Server not connecting
BallotReady + Windsurf FAQ
Common questions about integrating BallotReady MCP Server with Windsurf.
How does Windsurf discover MCP tools?
mcp_config.json file on startup and connects to each configured server via Streamable HTTP. Tools are listed in the MCP panel and available to Cascade automatically.Can Cascade chain multiple MCP tool calls?
Does Windsurf support multiple MCP servers?
mcp_config.json. Each server's tools appear in the MCP panel and Cascade can use tools from different servers in a single flow.Connect BallotReady with your favorite client
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Connect BallotReady to Windsurf
Get your token, paste the configuration, and start using 10 tools in under 2 minutes. No API key management needed.