Nearly 30 million ballots have already been cast for this year’s midterm elections, according to NBC’s running count. As early voting continues in states across the country, many citizens are gearing up to cast their votes on Election Day, November 8.
This year’s votes will be counted toward seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as current members retire from their positions following the end of their respective two- or six-year terms. Currently, Democrats hold a majority of seats in the U.S. House with three vacancies, according to Ballotpedia, and the two parties are nearly evenly split in the Senate. In the upcoming midterms, all 435 House seats, as well as 34 of 100 Senate positions, will be up for election.
Several prominent social issues have risen recently, from protecting abortion rights on a state-by-state basis after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June to reducing the more than $1.6 trillion the country has in student loan debt. As people take to the polls this month, the leaders they select could have an impact on these matters and others.
For those looking to make their opinions heard this November, Built In compiled a list of companies offering tech-enabled voting tools. From blockchain-based ballots to mobile voting capabilities, read on to learn what these solutions have in store.
Blockchain Voting Solutions
Working to build a decentralized application platform, the Colorado-based company is developing end-to-end online open-source voting software. Its Web3 tech allows voters to download its solution and verify their identity before submitting their ballot to a blockchain-based ballot box. Once submitted, users can also change their vote during the days leading up to an election.
Voatz aims to make voting convenient, secure and accessible for everyone. Headquartered in Massachusettes, the company allows overseas citizens, military officers and voters with disabilities to vote from their phone or tablet in government elections. Voters download the app and verify their identity to submit their vote using biometrics or a security PIN. All votes are stored on multiple, geographically-distributed blockchain servers.
Accessibility is at the forefront of mobile voting, something Ohio-based Votem keeps top-of-mind. The company built CastIron, a blockchain-based elections management and online voting platform that allows voters with limited accessibility to the polls to use their mobile devices throughout the voting process. Users can receive election alerts, research candidates, access their ballot and listen to choices before marking their selections onscreen and signing their ballot.
In-Person Voting Solutions Backed by Technology
For those who prefer to vote the old-fashioned way, KNOWiNK built a solution for in-person polling places. Its PollPad product is a touchscreen tablet that works to streamline voter verification and check-in. The Missouri-based company also provides software tools for voter registration management and real-time election monitoring, as well as a ballot printing station.
This company builds tools for election administrators to enable vote-by-mail, in-person voting and result verification solutions. Offering software that pairs with commercially available polling solutions, Clear Ballot wants to expedite the voting process with accuracy and transparency. So far, its platform is in use across 13 states and has been certified by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
Online Voting Solutions
Headquartered in Seattle, Democracy Live develops cloud and tablet-based voting solutions for state and local governments. The company’s flagship product, the OmniBallot Portal, has been certified in all states that require a formal certification for remote digital balloting. To date, Democracy Live has been deployed in 4,000 elections and served more than 20 million voters.
If a voter is in need of an absentee ballot, Vote.org offers online registration and vote-by-mail solutions. The California-based nonprofit also allows voters to check their registration status, find early voting locations nearby, view their local ballot and more. Vote.org’s ultimate goal is to simplify political engagement, increase voter turnout and strengthen American democracy.
