Voter participation, especially among college students, is notoriously low. According to Pew Research Center data, only 20 percent of eligible voters ages 18 to 24 tend to vote in midterm elections. Although some people are simply apathetic to democratic processes, research indicates the reason many young people don’t vote is because of lack of information.
Often students may not know how to register for or turn in an absentee ballot, which is relevant for those who live outside of the state they are registered to vote in.
Recognizing the need for a more streamlined and accessible approach for young people to stay informed of political events and polling places, several companies now offer apps and other tools to help college students keep up with their local political elections.
Designed by two grad students who recognized the need for access to voting in their registered districts while away at school, TurboVote is an easy-to-use web-based application that connects users to the information they need to participate in local, state and national elections. Democracy Works, the parent company that produces TurboVote, is a non-partisan organization that gathers voting rules for all 50 states, eliminating the need for students to find the information on their own. After a simple registration process, TurboVote will send text and email reminders about registration deadlines, upcoming elections and where to vote.
Sign up for Turbo Vote by visiting www.democracy.works/tools-for-voters
Following in the footsteps of popular social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, Countable offers a visually dynamic, socially engaging one-stop-shop for all things political. Comedian and political activist Chelsea Handler, National Public Radio and the Refugee Action Center all have created what Countable refers to as Action Centers: a collection of pending legislation across the nation, with features that allow users to comment, forward and even petition their local lawmakers.
Visit /www.countable.us/action-centers to learn more, to begin following existing Action Centers or to create your own.
Ballotpedia styles itself as the encyclopedia of American politics. In addition to subscribing to an optional email newsletter, the website offers users nearly 270,000 curated, politics-based articles. Article topics range from current ballot measures across the nation to breakdowns of who is currently in office, to Senate and House races at both the national and local level. The breadth and depth of the information that Ballotpedia has gathered makes it fairly simple for users to find the details they are looking for.
You can find Ballotpedia at https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page.
There are myriad ways to stay connected to local and national elections without having to invest much time or energy.
Some other resources to consider:
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