Smartphone application aims to counter voter suppression efforts
Everything you need to know about voting for November’s election will be accessible with a tap of a finger — but only if you own a smart phone.
The Election Protection’s smart phone application is the latest weapon to combat voter ID laws and early voting restrictions — which some characterize as voter suppression efforts — by letting voters get a head start on marking and casting their November ballots.
Users can verify their voter’s registration, locate the nearest polling place, fill out registration forms and contact election officials in case there is the need, said representatives from several civil right organizations involved in the application.
“There are efforts across the country to suppress the vote and these efforts have disproportionately affected Latino voters, which is why the NALEO educational fund is proud to join in this effort,” said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Appointed and Elected Officials Education Fund.
NALEO projected that 12.2 million Hispanic voters will come out to vote in November and Vargas said this new program would help ensure this projection is met. He’s confident it will.
“In this election cycle, it’s the first time that I have seen the kind of coordination of national organizations coordinating voting registration and voter turnout efforts,” said Vargas, who added that they’ve established an unprecedented national civic engagement table with seven Latino organizations from across the country participating.
“This is just the beginning of a coordinated effort that will stay consistent much beyond the 2012 election,” Vargas said.
As many as 11% of eligible voters lack government-issued photo ID’s and studies show that the percentage is higher for seniors, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters and students, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Vargas added that as much as one in five Latinos lack a government-issued ID.
Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting Foundation said it broadens the ability for voters access election protection services.
“We felt that voters should be armed with information on what kind of system is available for them, and then if there are any voting machine-related problems or issues on Election Day,” she said.
This application is more likely to target specifically the younger population and, despite arguments indicating that it ignores those who can’t afford a smart phone, advocates say it bypasses the income divide.
Among smartphone owners, young adults, minorities, those with no college experience, and those with lower household income levels are more likely than other groups to say that their phone is their main source of internet access, according to a Pew Hispanic Center internet tracking survey released this year.
“Among young people the most amazing thing we’ve been seeing is that, regardless of income level, smartphone adoption rates are consistent. In many ways, they bypass the computer and they’re going straight to a smartphone,” said Heather Smith, president of Rock the Vote.
“Regardless of income level, smartphone adoption rates are consistent, so even among those with household income of $30,000 or less, smartphone ownership rates among those under 30 are equal to the national average,” she said.
Smith added that they’ve also noticed “incredible confusion” about such laws and rules. She cited that as many as 80% of young voters were unsure about early registration rules.
In the latest poll conducted by CIRCLE it shows that most young adults between 18 and 29 are misinformed about the rules that govern voting in their own states, but they’re still a significant portion that are engaged.
When asked whether they planned to vote, 41 percent of all the young people said this was extremely likely, and another 17 percent said it was likely. Only a small group said they were currently unregistered yet planning to vote in November.
The survey notes that even beyond smartphones, both African Americans and English-speaking Latinos are as likely as whites to own any sort of mobile phone, and are more likely to use their phones for a wider range of activities.
Hispanic adults are more likely to say they have downloaded an app recently compared to whites — 36% versus 28%.
The Spanish language version of this application will be available to download in September. The initiative is consistent with other measures to help protect voting rights including a national hotline 888-Ve-Y-Vota.
Available for free on all smartphones, the application will allow voters to:
- Verify their registration status
- Look up their polling place
- Verify their voting system
- Use the app to empower their friends and family
- Access a FAQ and key dates for their state
- Fill out a voter registration form
Learn more and Download the Election Protection Smartphone App here!