With the election season just around the corner in the U.S., Google is getting in on the action and looking to make things easier for prospective voters. Google Search will simplify the registration process for voters as it will offer state-specific voter registration guides prior to the 2016 presidential elections in November.
On Monday, July 18, the Alphabet subsidiary will push out the new search functionality, which will aid users in registering to vote before the elections.
"Starting on Monday, we're introducing a new tool in Search to simplify the voter registration process to make it easier for you to have your voice heard," revealed Google on July 15.
When you type "register to vote" or a similar query in Google Search post July 18, you will be greeted with state-specific and in-depth guidelines on how you can register to vote, the eligibility criteria and the deadline for your state. All these details will be reflected at the top of the search page, as well as the Google app.
Jacob Schonberg, Google's product manager, revealed in a blog post that the company is optimistic that the feature will be a handy tool for voters.
"We hope these new features in Search will help keep you informed this election season and make it easier for you to make it to the ballot box in November," noted Schonberg.
What prompted Google's move? As Google Search's communication manager Susan Cadrecha revealed, the company observed there was a substantial increase in the number of queries pertaining to "voter registration" or "where do I vote" or "how do I vote" as the elections draw near.
With the integration of this information directly into Google Search, the company will be providing voters with improved information access, which will be at their fingertips.
"We hope that this feature helps simplify the registration process, thereby making it easier for every vote and every voice to be heard," said Cadrecha.
Google will also be introducing a new search tool that will provide information on any Democratic National Convention or Republican National Convention. In the Google app, when a user looks up info about either of the conventions, they will get the event summary, nominee information and detailed list of speakers.
Moreover, users will also be able to view the conventions' live stream posted on YouTube, as well as pertinent social media posts on the Google app and web search page.
Are you excited about the new feature of Google Search? Let us know in the comments section below.
