DENVER, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Guard My Vote, the free voter suppression reporting app, is now available to empower voters to capture and alert local officials and the public of any efforts to suppress votes in the upcoming 2020 election. The Guard My Vote app provides useful information on voter suppression, and allows end-users to record localized voting experiences via their mobile camera and instantly share via text, email and tagged Tweets with local election officials, the Secretary of State and the public. The goal is to provide truthful information and prompt action in a non-partisan way to reduce voter suppression incidents.
After the election season, the Guard My Vote team will analyze user data and publish its findings to better benchmark voter experiences The Guard My Vote app is available now for free download in Apple Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android.
Founded by Robb Brown with operational management from Mallory Varney of Denver Retail Group, Guard My Vote is a freely available project of passion and action. It exemplifies how community-minded leaders across the country are taking action in the wake of COVID-19 and the rise of social injustice.
“Election integrity is more critical than ever and we wanted to do something to help in a meaningful way,” said Robb Brown, CEO of Denver-based mixed-use real estate consultancy Denver Retail Group. “The profound shift that started with COVID-19 exposed just how our most vulnerable need to have their voices heard, along with support that results in tangible change. Guard My Vote is an empowerment tool we hope millions of people will use.”
Guard My Vote helps everyday people become more knowledgeable to take action and to make their voices heard to end voter suppression. The easy-to-use app allows voters to identify and report some of the most common methods of voter suppression, including restrictive voter ID rules, lack of language support, closed polling locations, or reducing voting hours. As the public looks for meaningful ways to improve voter integrity, Guard My Vote streamlines the process of alerting election officials and shedding light on problems that occur in real-time.
Voter suppression can influence election outcomes by discouraging or preventing specific groups of people from voting. It attempts to reduce the number of people who might vote against a candidate or proposition. Tactics range from efforts to make voting less convenient, physical intimidation, or even blocking prospective voters from polling places. In recent days we have seen the installation of unapproved ballot boxes in California, huge lines and long waits for early voters in Georgia, and the attempted reduction of ballot boxes to one per county in Texas. These are the exact instances in which Guard My Vote could be used to document the obstacles that may suppress voting in the U.S.
According to published studies, 100 million Americans did not cast a vote for President in 2016, and 27 million Americans think the voting system is rigged or corrupt. Also, of the 16 million voters purged from the polls between 2014 and 2016, some were removed erroneously. Seemingly customary administrative operations may have unintended but devastating effects. As more than 21 million citizens do not have government-issued photo identification needed to vote legally, many people cannot participate in our voting process if a local department of motor vehicles, (DMV), has been closed permanently, or relocated to an area outside the reach of public transit. Unfortunately, most restrictions on voter rights occur in our most vulnerable communities, and continued legislation makes voting even more difficult.
Guard My Vote aims to expand voting access and awareness to each corner of our nation with a mission to empower people to vote and end voter suppression – for good.
About Guard My Vote
Guard My Vote (GMV) was established in June of 2020 as a Social Impact Software provider. Social Impact Software is software that documents the user’s attempt to exercise civil rights, liberties, freedoms, social interactions, and their related experiences or observations. The GMV mobile application is the first application of its kind. It was designed to encourage education and self-advocacy among voters and more equitable election policies. GMV provides all Americans with free access to easy-to-use technology, accurate facts, up-to-date voting resources, and direct access to those in charge of elections. This is most important in marginalized communities. GMV’s ability to collect and analyze the anonymized data will help enlighten our key decision-makers on which changes to enact and why. Our reporting will help to ensure balance and justice in voting practices for all future local, state, and federal elections. GMV has other software planned to address improved police engagement and sexual harassment. Learn more about Guard My Vote, here (www.guardmyvote.com).
Media Contact:
Guy Murrel
Catapult PR-IR
303-581-7760, ext. 18
[email protected]
SOURCE Guard My Vote
