Nextdoor is partnering with Vote.org to encourage people to participate in the U.S. midterm elections this November, the company announced on Wednesday. The neighborhood social network says the partnership aims to simplify political engagement and increase voter turnout.
The app will encourage users to verify their voter registration status and find their polling place. Leading up to election day on November 8, the social network will identify polling locations and encourage neighbors to help each other get to the polls by carpooling or walking together.
Nextdoor will also remind users to have civil political discourse by displaying pop-ups when hurtful or harmful language is detected or anticipated via predictive technology. The company says its efforts to keep interactions on the platform safe are a balance of human review and technology, both of which will work to flag and remove content that violates Nextdoor’s guidelines.
“Change starts in the neighborhood, and while every neighborhood is unique, everyone wants their community to thrive,” said Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar in a statement. “We have an opportunity to strengthen civic engagement while upholding Nextdoor’s commitment to voter rights and protections. We’re very excited to continue the partnership with Vote.org to help neighbors throughout the upcoming election cycle and beyond.”
The company says that by partnering with organizations like Vote.org, it can help share trusted voting resources and provide tools to support civic engagement and neighborhood conversations around local and national politics.
Nextdoor is also partnering with the Advancement Project, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and the NAACP to share information about election rights and protections.
Earlier this year, Nextdoor revamped its app with new profiles and more community-building features. The changes came as the social network developed a reputation for racial profiling over the years, which led to the company releasing specific features to address this. The revamp was part of Nextdoor’s larger vision and its goal to create a welcoming neighborhood both online and offline.