Since its inception in 2008, the Campus Election Engagement Project has been working with other nonpartisan organizations, including Vote.org, to share effective voter education, voter registration, and get-out-the-vote tools. Vote.org “uses technology to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout, and strengthen American democracy.”

From all the research, peer-to-peer texting is extremely effective in getting people to vote. Vote.org is now offering a free app to help people reach out to their peers with a get-out-the-vote message, and the Campus Election Engagement Project recognizes this app as an efficient and effective tool for campuses, and other organizations, to send it out to as many people  as possible, including in your all-campus emails or social media postings.

The app lets users access their contact lists and manually select people to send a voting-related text. Vote.org offers a pop-up message to use or adapt. Users then click on each person to confirm and send through your standard texting interface. So they retain complete control over privacy and message. And it’s easy enough to use that we think your students would love to use it as a tool to invite their peers to vote.

Go to these Apple or Android links to download the app on your device. After a short install, the app will let you access your contact list and tap to select whomever you want to send an election-related text. An election-reminder message then pops up that you can use, change, or adapt for all the people you’re sending to. And you click again to confirm each person before it sends. Users are completely in control, but it’s far faster and more efficient than doing it manually.