One State's Citizens Can Register to Vote on Facebook
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Election time will be here soon and now some citizens will be able to register to vote on Facebook.
Facebook users in Washington state will soon be able to do their registration on the social platform via an application on Washington's secretary of state's Facebook page. Residents can also 'like' the app and recommend it to friends.
"We think using social media to increase awareness is good because it's a low cost form of reaching the public," said Brian Zylstra, a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office said.
Microsoft and Facebook teamed up to develop the software that will allow users to register via the social network. The app was built at no cost to the state.
Users will need to agree to let Facebook access their information so that their name and birthday will be pre-filled on their voter registration form. The users will also need to provide their license or state ID card number to participate.
Facebook will not collect any of the users' information, Zylstra said.
Washington is the first state to initiate voter registration through Facebook, although the state has offered online registration since 2008. The app is expected to launch next week.
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