New Snapchat Update Gives Users Voter Registration Tools

Multimedia communication app Snapchat released an update that provides users with in-app voter registration tools. The new tools included in the rollout were a voter checklist and a feature that helps users learn more about different voting options before the election. Through the update, users can register to vote directly on the app. Snapchat partnered with various US civil organizations, like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Democracy Works, to create the tools. According to Snapchat, the tools were created to guide, educate, and encourage its younger users to register and vote in the upcoming US election in November. Based on data, 53% of Snapchat’s users in the US are aged 15 to 25 years old and are part of the Generation Z and millennial demographic. Statistics showed that those who are of voting age in this group are less likely to vote than those in older generations. Snapchat had released a similar update that was implemented during the 2018 US midterm election. The update included a button that redirected users to a voter registration website. It was proven to be a success, as 450,000 people registered to vote through the app. Additionally, data showed that half of those registrants actually participated in the elections. One Snapchat spokesperson said that the new voting tools and resources will remain active and will continue to remind users to register to vote even if there are no upcoming elections.