Mobile Internet Users & Your Election

According to the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (April 29 – May 30, 2010 Tracking Survey), two in five adults (40%) use the Internet, email or instant message from their cell phone, up from 32% in 2009. In 2011, it is expected that smartphone sales are to exceed the sales of personal computers. It seems more and more likely that your “on-the-go” members will be accessing election materials and voting from their mobile devices.

What mobile means for member organization elections

If your organization’s election is not mobile device compatible, you are missing a valuable opportunity to interact. This is particularly important if your organization has a younger membership base, as users between ages 18-29 are most likely to use mobile data applications.

Making elections & communications smartphone compatible

Design and implement your online voting site with mobile users in mind. Smaller mobile screens will format page layouts differently than PC displays. Reduce clutter and limit the number of elements on each web page. Smartphone display resolutions vary from 240-480 pixels in width to 320-960 pixels in length – tablet sizes vary from 480-800 pixels in width to 800-1200 pixels in length. Remember these dimensions when viewing and testing an election site for mobile use.

For electronic election communications, focus on succinct, text-based messages. Avoid large graphics as they are slow to download.

An online voting site is a significant investment for your organization. Before you devote resources into an electronic voting site or partner with a vendor, be sure the online voting system is compatible with mobile devices. Mobile Internet use is trending upward – be certain to capture and engage the interest of your smartphone, PDA and tablet users.

About SBS

For over 20 years, Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) has been providing customers with the tools and resources to conduct highly successful elections. The world’s top associations, cooperatives and organizations trust SBS to plan and manage their elections. SBS election services include traditional paper ballot elections, online voting, telephone voting and hybrid voting systems.