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Foursquare helps users learn more about election; announces 2012 “I Voted” badge

13

on November 1st, 2012

Just as they did for the mid-term elections of 2010, Foursquare is planning to offer a real-time view of users checking in at the polls and is encouraging people to vote with a new iVoted badge. They’ve also announced a new connected app featuring local election information.

Foursquare users will be able to unlock the “I Voted” badge simply by checking in at a polling place or by including the #ivoted hashtag along with any check-in on Tuesday. That way users are covered whether they’ve voted early, absentee or at the actual polling place.

Once users connect the “I Voted” app to their accounts they’ll receive detailed local information from the Google Civic Information API. The information will appear as a link on the post check-in screen, and features a link to find their polling place, identification information voters will need to bring with them and a breakdown of all the races and candidates that will appear on the ballot.

Regarding the map that will appear at election.foursquare.com, Foursquare says:

See what’s happening, in real time. Head to election.foursquare.com to watch America vote in real time and see what they’re saying at the polls. Connect the app and sharing your check-in on Twitter, and we’ll include your profile photo, first name, and comment.

Engage, Google, the Voting Information Project, the Pew Center on the States, and the New Organizing Institute are all partners in the effort.

Foursquare is again playing a leading role among social networks in encouraging users to vote and providing the information the need to do so. The connected app platform is a perfect way to spread such localized information in a way that’s easy for users to access and understand. Badges have been shown to encourage users to take certain actions that might not otherwise, so once again offering a badge (even if it could conceivably be earned without actually voting) is a great way to encourage voting.

What do you think of Foursquare’s efforts?

This badge appears on the foursquare core badge list×

  • https://www.foursquare.com/user/2334931 Monika Stewart

    Is connecting to the app required in order to get the badge?

    • anrit

      wondering the same thing… I want the badge but don’t want to be added to a public voting map if I connect the app.

      • http://aboutfoursquare.com Chris Thompson

        I think you’re only added to the public map if you tweet your check-in.

    • http://aboutfoursquare.com Chris Thompson

      I don’t think you’ll need to connect the app to collect the badge.

  • Nick

    Is there any chance that this badge is also available for US Citizens voting from overseas?

  • Ashley

    “Once users connect the “I Voted” app to their accouts……The information will appear as a link on the post check-in screen, and features a link to find their polling place, identification information voters will need to bring with them and a breakdown of all the races and candidates that will appear on the ballot.” Anyone else find that the opposite of helpful? If it is given post checkin, then obviously you have ALREADY found your polling place. Or am I interpreting that wrong? Haha. Also, it would be useful to access the candidates and their info BEFORE you go, not after you are there and are holding everyone up.

    • http://aboutfoursquare.com Chris Thompson

      Sorry, it appears on any check-in, not just polling place ones. That means you should be able to access it well before Election Day.

  • stephen

    what if your state has eliminated polling stations? Can you check in anywhere? or at a post office?…

    • https://www.foursquare.com/user/2334931 Monika Stewart

      “Foursquare users will be able to unlock the “I Voted” badge simply by including the #ivoted hashtag along with their check-ins on Tuesday. That way users are covered whether they’ve voted early, absentee or at the actual polling place.”

  • PK

    Checked in an unlocked the I Voted badge and NBC’s Political Wonk badge. The NBC badge was a nice surprise.

    • mang0es

      Yep, got the NBC Political Wonk badge, which was a surprise for me too!

    • https://www.foursquare.com/user/2334931 Monika Stewart

      I did as well. I’m wondering if they changed the rules for election day, because I thought you needed to check into a “recommended venue” to get it. I did my “I voted!” shout at a post office today and got both badges, but I’ve checked into that post office before without getting the Political Wonk badge. Furthermore, other friends of mine have checked into other venues with an “I voted!” shout but only gotten the I Voted badge and not Political Wonk, which leads me to believe that it’s not just the shout that does it – the venue has something to do with it too.

  • VeggieJen

    Thank you for doing this! The only thing if you could tweak for the next election is including the early vote time frame. I early voted in Florida a week ago and didn’t get the badge, let alone looking for it and only 2010 information came up. The only reason why I did get the 2012 badge is because I was working at the polls on election day and checked in. Other than that – thank you for bringing social media to the polls! :) FYI 70% of voters turned out to vote in Florida!

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