SW21:046
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2021
CONTACT:
SOS Press Office
(916) 653-6575
California Secretary of State Partners with Snapchat to Remind Young Voters to Vote with Statewide Lens on Election Day
SACRAMENTO, CA – In an ongoing effort to engage young voters who remain largely underrepresented in California's electorate, the California Secretary of State’s Office has partnered with Snapchat to launch an educational Augmented Reality Lens to remind voters to cast their ballot in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election.
On Election Day, all Californian Snapchat users can open Snapchat to use the Snapchat x California Secretary of State "Vote Safe CA" statewide lens which will link voters with additional information to vote at Vote.ca.gov.
“When young people start participating in elections, it paves the way for a lifetime of
civic participation,” Secretary of State Shirley Weber said. “We are constantly looking for new ways to get young voters aware, engaged, and activated so they have an active say in the future we're creating here in California.”
Snapchat Lenses are AR experiences that transform the way users look at the world
around them. Historically, younger voters wait until the final day to cast their ballot, and the upcoming Election Day lens serves as a final reminder to help increase the awareness and ensure Californians know to cast their ballot.
To use the Face Lens on Election Day:
- Go to the Camera screen
- Tap on a face to launch the carousel
- Swipe on the carousel and tap on Vote Safe CA Lenses
- Tap or hold ?to capture the Snap
*Media interested in testing the lens can do so at: https://www.snapchat.com/unlock/?type=SNAPCODE&uuid=c38983567b0b4f7fb9387b4081ea0e8e&metadata=01 or reach out to SOSPress@sos.ca.gov for a sample image.
Snapchat reports over 280 million daily users and reaches over 100 million users in the United States, but most notably, Snapchat reaches 90% of all 13 to 24-year-olds in the United States. Though there have been increases in voter registration and turnout among California youth, 18 to 24-year-olds are still the lowest represented age group in the state electorate. The California Secretary of State works in its ongoing capacity to reach these voters through its Student Vote Project initiative.
Ahead of the 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election, the Secretary of State's Office and Students Vote Project team partnered with Snapchat to tap into their expansive reach among Millennial and Gen-Z users, geared at expanding civic awareness within Snapchat's audience.
The Lens follows the launch of a Snapchat x California Secretary of State "Vote Safe CA" statewide photo filter on August 24, 2021 reminding voters of the upcoming election ahead of the online voter registration deadline on August 30th. Different from dynamic augmented reality lenses, Snapchat filters are static design overlays that you add on top of a user's photos.
Conditional Voter Registration
“For voters who missed the online voter registration deadline, remember, it's not too late to participate in the Gubernatorial Recall Election. California created "Same Day Voter Registration" as a safety net, so voters could register to vote all the way up to Election Day and cast a ballot in the same day -- provisionally,” Secretary Weber said.
Californians who are unsure of their voter registration status can quickly check it online at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
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