VoterPal App: Voto Latino Partners with Rock the Vote for Android Voting Application
When Voto Latino CEO Maria Teresa Kumar introduced the VoterPal app last March it was exclusive to iPhones and iPads.
On Thursday, the Latino-focused media organization extended their reach to an additional 108 million smartphone users by releasing an Android version.
"Whether at a cookout, at school, or at a concert, VoterPal is a tool to facilitate registering your family and friends to vote because it's no longer enough to just register yourselves," said Kumar, in a press release. "The stakes are too high - and everyone in the community is feeling it."
The nuances, as slight as they may be, are cosmetic; the load screen and some of the app's widgets work differently.
Android and iOS VoterPal apps differ in that Voto Latino partnered with Rock the Vote to include a custom chase email program for Androids. The iPhone version is powered by ThinkVoting, a Texas-based tech company with similar goals of educating millennials.
Comparing Voting Apps
Apple and Google marketplaces are flooded with presidential election apps focused on specific demographics.
The Unidos app features bilingual news feeds, and Voter works more like a dating app - think Tinder - linking the user with their ideal candidate. Last February, the National Council of La Raza partnered with mitú for Latinos Vote, an app geared towards the country's ever-growing Hispanic community.
Voto Latino's goal is to make the voter registration process as easy and expeditious as possible.
Facilitating the Process
"The biggest difference is the ID-scanning technology," Voto Latino communications director Mario Carrillo told Latin Post. "Users have the option to scan the QR code on the back of their ID to pre-populate information such as name, address, date of birth, and license number."
The other major difference, Carrillo said, is how easy it is to register friends and family. The app's first question asks who the user is registering, "Myself" or "A friend."
"We've received very positive feedback from individuals, local and national organizations who are already using or want to use the app," Carrillo said. "We're thrilled to now have the flexibility to share with anyone who has a smartphone or tablet. We hope this helps show others that really anyone can get involved and help register our community this election."
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