Type: About Mobile Voting

The answer to this question depends on the type of voter and their location.

Citizens living overseas, or those deployed in the military (commonly referred to as Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act or “UOCAVA” voters) have a nationwide provision that allows them additional opportunities beyond the traditional methods of voting. Some states allow the electronic return of a marked ballot (i.e. via email or web portal), while others require the voter to print their ballot and mail it from overseas. For the states that already allow electronic or fax return, mobile voting is likely a legal and viable option. For more information on how UOCAVA applies across different states, visit https://www.fvap.gov.

Some states also allow voters with disabilities to vote using the same methods as UOCAVA voters, so in many instances, the same provisions and allowances above would also apply for that demographic. Two states allowing this include West Virginia and Utah.

For the population at large, Voatz has been working with jurisdictions on a pilot-by-pilot basis to collect data on mobile voting and its operational success in the field. These metrics and case studies can help challenge some of the broader legal hurdles and garner support for the electronic delivery and return of the voted ballot.

Voatz is currently only available in elections that are actively engaged in a pilot or on a contractual basis. If you would like the opportunity to vote mobile in your election, contact us for details.

Voatz is working to reinforce the democratic process by providing access to key groups who have otherwise faced challenges in voting. Currently, our focus is on helping those in the overseas services, military, and people with disabilities.

For overseas servicemen and women, as well as military personnel, Voatz is helping to address the significant security issues associated with current remote voting options. Email, fax, and postal paper ballots are not sufficiently secure and, in some cases, are often lost, or require the voter to waive their right to an anonymous ballot. Furthermore, according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), of the 3 million eligible voters in this group, only 7% vote. This constitutes one of the most disenfranchised demographics. According to FVAP, this low rate is largely due to logistical barriers. Voatz is working to close the gap and lessen the challenges these voters face, especially as compared to their counterparts at home.

For many voters with disabilities, casting ballots on their smartphones ensures they can participate in elections. These voters face obstacles at nearly every point of the voting process, including limited transport to polling sites, limited access to voting machines and on-site assistance, and difficulty physically navigating polling sites. Previous efforts to assist this group have largely failed to address these challenges, and as such, they routinely show up to vote at much lower rates than the general public. Voatz incorporates the native accessibility features of smartphones to the fullest extent possible to counteract some of these barriers to entry, and to increase the number of people with disabilities who can comfortably and fully participate in elections.

Voatz’s goal is to provide everyone who can vote with the opportunity to do so in an accessible, secure, and accountable way. Whether this means increasing voter turnout in local elections or creating an opportunity for experienced voters to participate in an easier fashion, Voatz believes that maintaining the right to vote is essential to upholding the viability of our elections.

For a more detailed look at who Voatz can help, read stories from a volunteer in West Africa, a military paratrooper voter, a student in China, and a disabled voter in Utah.

The benefits of mobile voting include increased voter access, convenience, security, and the ability to verify and audit your own vote(s).

First, a mobile voting option could increase voter turnout, given that the vast majority of the population owns a smartphone. As examples, voter turnout increased quantifiably after successful pilots in West Virginia, Utah County, Denver County, and in the Utah Republican Party Convention.

Second, smartphones contain advanced security measures that allow the Voatz platform to verify and anonymize the identity of the voter, and to secure the aggregate vote (see more in our FAQ under Why the smartphone?).

Third, as soon as a ballot is submitted on the Voatz platform, three things happen: 1) a paper ballot is printed at the jurisdiction for tabulation; 2) the voter receives a ballot receipt to verify their selections; and 3) all selections are recorded on a blockchain network. This process allows the voter unprecedented levels of access to verify that their vote(s) were counted as they intended, and allows the jurisdiction to verify that all votes submitted using the Voatz platform are tabulated correctly. To learn more about how this process works, view the video on our Security & Technology page.

Only smartphones that support the necessary security requirements can run the Voatz app. These requirements include support for biometric authentication and running the latest version of the operating system, among others. The Voatz app takes advantage of the capabilities of the supported smartphones, which can detect whether the operating system has been tampered with (e.g. an operation known as “rooted” or a “jailbreak”).

The Voatz app does not permit a voter to vote if the operating system has been compromised.

The Voatz platform employs multiple layers of security (including malware detection and end-to-end encryption) to detect whether an operating system has been tampered with and to prevent a compromised device from submitting a ballot.

For more details, take a look at the mobile security documents listed in the Additional Resources section at the bottom of this page.

Currently, Voatz supports Apple smartphones including iPhone 6s or newer, and most modern Android smartphones (running Android v9.0 or newer) from approved device manufacturers.

Voatz defines “mobile voting” as the ability to vote using a native application installed on a smartphone device. The purpose of using smartphone applications is to leverage the advanced security mechanisms built into smart devices, including biometrics and mobile threat defense, among others.

Others have previously classified voting on a web browser from a mobile device as “mobile voting”; however, because web browsers are unable to provide the same degree of security, votes cast this way should be classified as “internet voting”.

Benefits of using a smartphone include platform readiness, security, and convenience. Smartphones contain enhanced security measures relative to other voting methods currently used by certain electorates (including military and overseas voters who vote via email, website, facsimile, or postal mail). By leveraging the built-in security of smartphones, Voatz is able to authorize and secure the identity of the voter, preserve their anonymity, and integrate other technologies to verify and secure the aggregate vote. These technologies help facilitate a significantly more sophisticated approach than the standard ballot box process.

Additionally, in the last five years, the adoption rate of the smartphone has skyrocketed. Today, most people are heavily reliant on their smart devices. According to Pew Research, the rate of smartphone ownership in the United States was 94% for people ages 18-29, 89% for people ages 30-49, and 73% for people ages 50-64. With smartphone ownership even higher among younger demographics, Voatz is building a solution for voters of the future.