Facebook and Google, two of the largest online service providers of the world, are doing their part – they remind Americans of their duty to cast their vote in today’s mid-term elections. Users logging on to Facebook through a desktop computer or a mobile device are greeted by a banner reminding them of their citizen duties. Google does the same through its Google Doodle on the search engine’s main page.
Facebook users are greeted when logging on to the service by a banner that says “It’s Election Day. Share that you’re voting in the U. S. Election and find out where to vote”. They keep their promise – users who don’t know where they should cast their vote can click “More information”. The link will take them to a map of the United States, provided by the “Get to the Polls” website, where they can find their polling place. They simply need to type their registered voting address, and they will receive the address of their designated voting place.
Today’s Google Doodle also revolves around the elections, reminding users of their duty to vote. Clicking on the Doodle will take the user to a series of election-related search results. People not sure where they should cast their vote can introduce their voting address into the “Where do I vote” field, and get directions to it. The link to “Get Directions” will open the familiar Google Maps window, offering users directions to their voting place.
This is not the first time online services get involved in getting people to vote. Facebook employed a similar strategy in 2010 – and their effort led to the growth of the number of votes in the US by 340,000, according to the New York Times. Make no mistake – Facebook does not take sides in the election, it just helps encourage voters by advising them how and where to vote.