The Challenge
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How might we design an accessible election experience for everyone?
Concept
Mobile numbers as unique ID users
Mobiles could solve the 3 central “pains” of the challenge: (1) security, (2) convenience, (3) simplicity; but instead of using mobiles as polling tools, I would think of them as a unique ID user –after a rigorous validation process of course. Using a “one-to-one” association, every citizen would have his SSN associated to his unique cell number. During the elections day, the voter texts via SMS the short code related to his candidate to a well-diffused easy number (such as 911).How will this concept improve election accessibility for everyone?
Accessibility is improved because mobiles can be accessed anytime, anywhere, by almost anyone. And in the near future every citizen will have his own mobile, even in the poorest countries and remotest villages. For instance, a developing country such as Peru has 30 million people and 30 million mobile lines.
How well does this concept adapt to the changing needs of different voter communities?
Since there’s no need to have the latest smartphone in order to send a text message, this concept could work either in Palo Alto, California or in Gangotri, India. Instead of downloading and learning how to use an app, a single text message could be sent by an old-fashioned person using a feature phone with a prepaid line, which makes the whole idea much more accessible.
What kinds of resources – whether time, money, people, partnerships, technology or otherwise – will be needed to get this concept off the ground?
This concept could be game-changing if it's properly designed, especially for non-developed societies, but the critical issue is the previous validation process including the one-to-one association. Other important requirements are partnerships with key telecom players, as well as a wisely massive education, that could be done precisely using the same phones.
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Hernán Carranza's reply to An Old Friend's comment
February 21, 2012, 05:40PM

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