App shows when your contacts voted and party affiliation

With less than 24 hours until the midterm elections, many are doing all they can to get those key voters. The app ‘Vote With Me’ can show you who cast their ballot and when. The information is gathered through public information and makes it available with the touch of your finger. Who your friends and family voted for is private, but whether they voted and how they're registered isn't.

The app shows you what's on your ballot, where to find your polling place, and the impact you can have on your friends. It looks to put pressure on people to get them to head to the polls by sending them a scripted message asking if they plan on voting.

“Usually there’s a mailer that comes out to you that says we have sent this information to your neighbors,” USD Political Science Assistant Professor Julia Hellwege said. “They know how you are voting so this is just a way to make this easier to use. Kind of make it more 2018 by putting it as an app.”

“I understand that some people are more private about it,” Sioux Falls voter Joe Hiatt said. “I still want to be able to respect people's privacy if that’s what they choose, but I think it’s great for encouraging voting. I think that it’s a really good idea especially in the age of social media.”

Many people told KSFY News Monday, they don't think this app will shame others into voting, but instead encourage them to get out and vote because they want to have a positive impact on their friends.