On the eve of Election Day, another voter-mobilization method is born.
Democratic election technology provider NGP VAN announced on Monday a mobile tool for poll watchers called Mobile Pollwatcher. The app, which is built into a voter-contact system used by Democratic candidates, will allow poll watchers to check in voters at polling places across the nation on November 6.
All election monitors must do is enter a name into the app, which then matches the voter up with a five-digit code used in the Voter Activation Network voter list, and automatically updates the Democratic Party databases.
Like many, if you’re wondering where the data is going, the information will be sent to campaign headquarters. The data will then be relayed to get-out-the-vote callers and canvassers in hopes they won’t notify you later in the day to vote, again. The data generated from this app will be accessible by all campaigns that have access to NGP VAN, from Obama down to local officials running for office.
The app is a big leap from the volunteers of the past who checked off names from their clipboards on foot as voters strolled in to local polling centers. In the past, poll watchers had to transmit data manually via phone or fax but the tech-upgrade simplifies and accelerates the process.
News of the tech tool comes a few days after details of a similar Mitt Romney campaign app surfaced. The mobile vote-counting effort is part of Romney’s Project Orca, according to the National Journal. Data from this app is reportedly transferred to his Boston headquarters.