Electronic elections: One app, one vote

Smartphone-based voting apps could help raise voter participation, if they can overcome a few hurdles

VOTERS in the US often struggle to make it to the polls to elect a president. In 2004, just over 60 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, but this was the highest turnout since 1968. In 2008, an "energised" populace topped that, and installed Barack Obama in the White House. Even then, that involved just 62 per cent of voters.