iVote

Are you planning to vote in the next election?  There’s an app for that.

This Tuesday, Oregon employed iPads for use in a special election to replace Representative David Wu.  The state, which allows voting by mail-in ballot, offered this new method to disabled voters, who were aided by a touch screen ballot and the ability to connect the iPad to personal devices via Bluetooth.  After using the iPad to more easily read and mark the ballot, it is printed out and mailed in to be counted alongside other ballots.  While this effort was only a test run used by 89 voters, the program was viewed as successful, and is likely to be used again in the state in the future.

However, this type of technology could be used to enhance enfranchisement to a much broader degree.  While Oregon is unique with regard to its mail-in ballot, many states have a registration system in which forms are submitted by mail.  Yet many states – such as Massachusetts – require these forms be created on a specific form of paper and distributed solely by the Board of Elections, which greatly limits potential voters access and ability to register.  We should provide applications for tablets and computers that allow them to complete, print out, and mail in registration forms, just as Oregon voters were able to on Tuesday.  This will give citizens simple and continuous means of registering at any time they choose.  Further, a voting app could provide reminders and information such as the deadline to send in registration forms, polling locations and hours, and contact information for problems.  At a time when law is making voting more difficult, we should strive to use technologies simplifying so many aspects of our daily lives to make voting easier as well.

 

Image by Tsubaki Kaworu