Alexa, what time are my polls open?

With so much at stake this election, it’s crucial to equip ourselves, as voters, with the necessary information we need — whether it’s developing a voting plan or knowing in advance what’ll be on our ballot. This year, we have both politics and safety to worry about with the COVID-19 pandemic still in our midst.

But fear not — having a solid voting plan and knowing what to expect can go a long way in alleviating any concerns when it comes to getting your vote counted while staying safe. It’s with these goals in mind that the League of Women Voters developed VOTE411.org as your ultimate Election 2020 voter resource. We know how important it is that our democracy prevail, despite any curveballs life may throw our way. And better still, VOTE411 has now teamed up with Amazon Alexa to make getting your voting questions answered even easier.

Amazon announced earlier this year that Alexa now works with over 145,000 compatible products and customers have connected more than 100 million smart home devices to Alexa. This goes to show just how extensive a reach Alexa has in this modern-day world of tech marvels.

We all love Alexa. She provides hands-free information. With so many things you can ask her, customers expect to find out almost anything from this cloud-based voice service. And now, voting information is one more thing Alexa can provide.

Specifically, Alexa and VOTE411 have teamed up to add more voting logistics information to Alexa. VOTE411 contains all the information you need to know regarding registration, poll location, mail-in voting, and more. Alexa is ready for your voting questions, so ask away! Prepare yourself to vote in this election and ensure your voice is heard.

Here are some ways to talk to Alexa to equip yourself with all the facts you could need (aka “utterances”). A few suggested utterances include:

• “Alexa, what time are my polls open?”
• “Alexa, do I need an ID to vote?”
• “Alexa, does [STATE] give time off to vote?”
• “Alexa, is there early voting?”

We also are thrilled to announce that Alexa will be answering election logistics questions in Spanish too thanks to VOTE411!

With more than 14 million Latino voters expected to cast a ballot this November, this is a crucial step towards ensuring all Latinos have access to bilingual voting information — and having all VOTE411 resources in Spanish makes the information even more accessible.

We are so excited to be able to connect with voters on an even broader level through Alexa, delivering the answers to voting logistics wherever someone takes Alexa, hands free. The stakes are high this election year — so don’t delay! Be sure to consult Alexa today.