Voter registration is coming to Facebook, courtesy of the new “MyVote” app developed for the Evergreen State, CNN blogged Thursday.
In as little as a week, Washington will become the first state to use such a program, which Facebook created in coordination with Microsoft.
The app—an extension of Washington’s 2008 launch of online voter registration—will be available on the secretary of state’s Facebook page.
Washington has about 3.7 million registered voters and carries out elections via mail, according to CNN’s post.
From CNN:
Besides registering to vote on Facebook, Washington residents will be able to update personal information, access customized voter guides with candidate info and ballot measures, as well as access replacement ballots.
When asked about who the state was targeting for this app, Hamlin [Shane Hamlin, co-director of state elections] said the state didn’t create this partnership to only target young people, but wanted to use Facebook’s social media platform for all voters to access crucial voter/election information.
Washington residents aged 18-29 only accounted for 10% of voters during the 2008 presidential election according to CNN election results. President Barack Obama defeated Sen. John McCain 58-41% in Washington state four years ago.