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Vote With Your Phone: Why Mobile Voting Is Our Final Shot at Saving Democracy
Democracy is broken because the way we vote is broken. But there is a Mobile Voting.
Our current government would have us believe that we are all divided, and topics like gun control, climate change, and healthcare continue to be heavily debated in congress. But Americans are not as divided as we think, and poll after poll shows that most of us agree on even our most divisive issues. The problem lies in how we vote. Low voter turnout continues to keep our elected officials on the far ends of the political spectrum, unable to compromise on even the simplest of policies. And even worse, our voting system continues to be heavily influenced by special interests among politicians who worry about their next elections and little else.
Mobile voting could be the solution. We do just about everything on our phones, and yet we still can't use them to vote. But the technology exists, and it could exponentially increase voter turnout
Simplifying the voting process Helping those who have trouble making it to the polls use their voice from anywhereProviding more security than traditional paper ballotsIncentivizing younger voters to participate by using technology they're familiar withFrom Bradley Tusk, philanthropist, and cofounder of the Mobile Voting movement, comes a deeply informative and timely analysis of our broken voting system, introducing us to the history, opposition, and potential of voting from our devices. Including essays by Martin Luther King Jr. III, David Hogg, and other prominent political figures, Vote with Your Phone shows us that a solution to restoring faith in our representative democracy exists – and it's closer than we think.
Our current government would have us believe that we are all divided, and topics like gun control, climate change, and healthcare continue to be heavily debated in congress. But Americans are not as divided as we think, and poll after poll shows that most of us agree on even our most divisive issues. The problem lies in how we vote. Low voter turnout continues to keep our elected officials on the far ends of the political spectrum, unable to compromise on even the simplest of policies. And even worse, our voting system continues to be heavily influenced by special interests among politicians who worry about their next elections and little else.
Mobile voting could be the solution. We do just about everything on our phones, and yet we still can't use them to vote. But the technology exists, and it could exponentially increase voter turnout
Simplifying the voting process Helping those who have trouble making it to the polls use their voice from anywhereProviding more security than traditional paper ballotsIncentivizing younger voters to participate by using technology they're familiar withFrom Bradley Tusk, philanthropist, and cofounder of the Mobile Voting movement, comes a deeply informative and timely analysis of our broken voting system, introducing us to the history, opposition, and potential of voting from our devices. Including essays by Martin Luther King Jr. III, David Hogg, and other prominent political figures, Vote with Your Phone shows us that a solution to restoring faith in our representative democracy exists – and it's closer than we think.
1 pages, Audio CD
Published September 17, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 15, 2024
I have once again decided to embark on a mission to read a number of books on subjects that will be of great importance to the upcoming 2024 US Presidential Election. This was a great success as I prepared for 2020, with an outcome at the polls (and antics by both candidates up to Inauguration Day) that only a fiction writer might have come up with at the time! Many of these will focus on actors and events intricately involved in the US political system over the last few years, in hopes that I can understand them better and, perhaps, educate others with the power to cast a ballot. I am, as always, open to serious recommendations from anyone who has a book I might like to include in the process.
With the events of July 21, 2024, when Joe Biden chose not to seek re-election, the challenge has become harder to properly reflect the Democratic side. I will do the best I can to properly prepare and offer up books that can explore the Biden Administration, as well as whomever takes the helm into November.
This is Book #42 in my 2024 US Election Preparation Challenge.
The key to democracy’s success would be allowing the people to ensure they have a voice and that it is heard. Bradley Tusk wholeheartedly believes this and presents some strong arguments in this regard. Tusk posits that offering more opportunities to vote is not enough, forms must entice people to make it work. In an era where smartphone use is almost as prevalent as breathing, Tusk pushes the idea of mobile voting as the best way to ensure the people’s voice is heard and that it remains impactful. A great book that offers solid arguments to support this sentiment.
While a central tenet of the United States political system provides that the people ought to have their voices heard, the modern incarnation of the same system would have many believe that the country is vastly divided on key issues. Many feel different ways on abortion, gun control, school vouchers, and even climate change, which held be no surprise to the reader. However, no matter what people believe, they want to be heard. Bradley Tusk argues in the opening portion of the tome that these varied views are not being heard because a small group of people are the only ones using the democratic process to vote in the primaries, a major part of the American system. While this small group is flexing its muscle, the results in the final elections are pushed upon the entire populace. This denotes a clear violation of the foundational sentiments on the democratic process, though apathy is fuelling the ongoing crevice.
Tusk then moves to look at how to get the people out to ensure their voices are heard. Longer voting hours do little to assist, as people want something that is convenient, rather than queueing up for longer. Making mail-in voting more accepted might ensure that people get a copy of the ballot, but both groups—politicians and the voter—end up put out, as one side cry fraud options and the other a lack of convenience. Changing the issue with convenience can be found by using a secure application on people’s cellular phones for those who prefer. These phones are checked every few minutes and, for some, end up being an additional appendage. Convenience is met, security is met, and it would ensure more people can be part of the process, as the need not queue up, mail something, scan their identification, or have their eligibility blocked by intentionally skewing state legislatures. What issues could arise by ensuring voting is made easier and people’s voices are heard to shape legislation? This system provides each state (and country as a whole) with a transparent solution to the democratic foundation, ready used by military personnel on Election Day.
There will be those who are worried or try to negate the idea by citing the basic argument of security. One need only remember the drama that ensued when one group screamed that alternative (read: not attending a voting booth) forms of voting led to significant fraud. These people felt that security measures were too flimsy by using mail-in balloting, permitted too many people to cast multiple ballots. Some of these same people will extend their concerns to secure voting platforms, posing dramatic storylines that hackers could intercept the vote and push things in directions not wanted by the country. Tusk argues that this is asinine and rebuffs this with many of the current tech-based conveniences used today. People bank, engage with healthcare professionals, submit payment methods to order food, and even share personal data over the phone each day. No one bats an eyelash and there have been no insurrections over the issue. No countries or hacker groups have sought to infiltrate America’s personal information on a large scale under these examples, which opens the door as to why there is such a reticence and scare tactics towards trying to push the democratic process into the 21st century.
While changes in technology have made things easier, voter apathy has not changed. People are still flooded with sentiments on their phones about political platforms and politicians’ views, but there have been few advancements to ensure that every person can and does vote. Bradley Tusk posits that cresting a secure system to allow the everyday voter to make electoral decisions with greater simplicity should not be covered up, but rather promoted. Clear chapters in the tome make these arguments and provide the reader with the needed perspectives to help them make a decision that works for them. Key analysis on both sides of the argument help provide the full-circle treatment for all. While there are some tech-heavy aspects, Tusk pushes the needed to make this clear, so as to push back against those who would try to quickly douse the fire of democratic progress. Tusk also does not stand as an academic and simply offer foundational arguments, he has been part of the process to develop and distribute the technology needed to use in every election.
I lapped up the arguments, able to see how Tusk and those with whom he works to push these views. Their arguments are succinct and lead with the people-first angle. Doesn’t it make the most sense to ensure more people have their voices heard and that politicians pander to the masses, not simply those with money and who come out during the current electoral process? What a different country America (or elsewhere in the world) would likely be with more votes in play and elected politicians worried about everyone’s best interests. Just think about it for a moment!
Kudos, Mr. Tusk, for this enlightening tome that pushes more, rather than less, democracy for a country in dire need of it.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
With the events of July 21, 2024, when Joe Biden chose not to seek re-election, the challenge has become harder to properly reflect the Democratic side. I will do the best I can to properly prepare and offer up books that can explore the Biden Administration, as well as whomever takes the helm into November.
This is Book #42 in my 2024 US Election Preparation Challenge.
The key to democracy’s success would be allowing the people to ensure they have a voice and that it is heard. Bradley Tusk wholeheartedly believes this and presents some strong arguments in this regard. Tusk posits that offering more opportunities to vote is not enough, forms must entice people to make it work. In an era where smartphone use is almost as prevalent as breathing, Tusk pushes the idea of mobile voting as the best way to ensure the people’s voice is heard and that it remains impactful. A great book that offers solid arguments to support this sentiment.
While a central tenet of the United States political system provides that the people ought to have their voices heard, the modern incarnation of the same system would have many believe that the country is vastly divided on key issues. Many feel different ways on abortion, gun control, school vouchers, and even climate change, which held be no surprise to the reader. However, no matter what people believe, they want to be heard. Bradley Tusk argues in the opening portion of the tome that these varied views are not being heard because a small group of people are the only ones using the democratic process to vote in the primaries, a major part of the American system. While this small group is flexing its muscle, the results in the final elections are pushed upon the entire populace. This denotes a clear violation of the foundational sentiments on the democratic process, though apathy is fuelling the ongoing crevice.
Tusk then moves to look at how to get the people out to ensure their voices are heard. Longer voting hours do little to assist, as people want something that is convenient, rather than queueing up for longer. Making mail-in voting more accepted might ensure that people get a copy of the ballot, but both groups—politicians and the voter—end up put out, as one side cry fraud options and the other a lack of convenience. Changing the issue with convenience can be found by using a secure application on people’s cellular phones for those who prefer. These phones are checked every few minutes and, for some, end up being an additional appendage. Convenience is met, security is met, and it would ensure more people can be part of the process, as the need not queue up, mail something, scan their identification, or have their eligibility blocked by intentionally skewing state legislatures. What issues could arise by ensuring voting is made easier and people’s voices are heard to shape legislation? This system provides each state (and country as a whole) with a transparent solution to the democratic foundation, ready used by military personnel on Election Day.
There will be those who are worried or try to negate the idea by citing the basic argument of security. One need only remember the drama that ensued when one group screamed that alternative (read: not attending a voting booth) forms of voting led to significant fraud. These people felt that security measures were too flimsy by using mail-in balloting, permitted too many people to cast multiple ballots. Some of these same people will extend their concerns to secure voting platforms, posing dramatic storylines that hackers could intercept the vote and push things in directions not wanted by the country. Tusk argues that this is asinine and rebuffs this with many of the current tech-based conveniences used today. People bank, engage with healthcare professionals, submit payment methods to order food, and even share personal data over the phone each day. No one bats an eyelash and there have been no insurrections over the issue. No countries or hacker groups have sought to infiltrate America’s personal information on a large scale under these examples, which opens the door as to why there is such a reticence and scare tactics towards trying to push the democratic process into the 21st century.
While changes in technology have made things easier, voter apathy has not changed. People are still flooded with sentiments on their phones about political platforms and politicians’ views, but there have been few advancements to ensure that every person can and does vote. Bradley Tusk posits that cresting a secure system to allow the everyday voter to make electoral decisions with greater simplicity should not be covered up, but rather promoted. Clear chapters in the tome make these arguments and provide the reader with the needed perspectives to help them make a decision that works for them. Key analysis on both sides of the argument help provide the full-circle treatment for all. While there are some tech-heavy aspects, Tusk pushes the needed to make this clear, so as to push back against those who would try to quickly douse the fire of democratic progress. Tusk also does not stand as an academic and simply offer foundational arguments, he has been part of the process to develop and distribute the technology needed to use in every election.
I lapped up the arguments, able to see how Tusk and those with whom he works to push these views. Their arguments are succinct and lead with the people-first angle. Doesn’t it make the most sense to ensure more people have their voices heard and that politicians pander to the masses, not simply those with money and who come out during the current electoral process? What a different country America (or elsewhere in the world) would likely be with more votes in play and elected politicians worried about everyone’s best interests. Just think about it for a moment!
Kudos, Mr. Tusk, for this enlightening tome that pushes more, rather than less, democracy for a country in dire need of it.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
May 29, 2025
This is a simple book with a simple message, and it would have been better if it had been kept simple. The idea of making it possible for people to vote via their phones--to set up the technological pathways whereby votes can be securely identified and given their ballots when elections roll around--is, I think, an obviously good idea; I'm in favor of doing whatever legal and feasible thing can be done to increase voter turnout, and as there are clearly people who currently do not regularly register to vote and cast their ballots but would do so if they could do it through their phones, we should definitely make changes to enable that to happen! To the extent Tusk focuses on that simple point, the book is fine; it would have been better as just an online manifesto or New Yorker article, but either way, I've no complaints. Let's do it!
The complaints I do have with the book, and the reason I don't rate it higher, is that Tusk is high on his own supply; he really does believe, and he continually insists, that enabling voters to access and cast ballots via their phones will radically transform American elections, and that anyone who stands in the way of that transformation is an Enemy of Young People and The Future. He is smart enough to recognize that there are a lot of elements involved in shaping our current dysfunctional politics, but then he can't help himself from returning, over and over, to the idea that Parties and Interest Groups and Corporations and The Establishment and Old People are standing in the way of the obvious need to let the great liberatory force that is Young Voters With Phones to heal our nation. And as someone who always chooses to use a pencil to fill in bubbles on my paper ballot every election, it only took a little of his Tech Utopianism to rub me the wrong way.
The complaints I do have with the book, and the reason I don't rate it higher, is that Tusk is high on his own supply; he really does believe, and he continually insists, that enabling voters to access and cast ballots via their phones will radically transform American elections, and that anyone who stands in the way of that transformation is an Enemy of Young People and The Future. He is smart enough to recognize that there are a lot of elements involved in shaping our current dysfunctional politics, but then he can't help himself from returning, over and over, to the idea that Parties and Interest Groups and Corporations and The Establishment and Old People are standing in the way of the obvious need to let the great liberatory force that is Young Voters With Phones to heal our nation. And as someone who always chooses to use a pencil to fill in bubbles on my paper ballot every election, it only took a little of his Tech Utopianism to rub me the wrong way.
March 1, 2025
9.1/10
Run out and buy this immediately!
It is so refreshing to read about solutions rather than the problems! RCV and mobile voting are intriguing solutions to our biggest issue…Voter turnout! It blows my mind to see the stats on what portion of registered voters don’t show, especially when thinking I haven’t missed an election in my life.
Primary elections are important don’t forget about them!
Run out and buy this immediately!
It is so refreshing to read about solutions rather than the problems! RCV and mobile voting are intriguing solutions to our biggest issue…Voter turnout! It blows my mind to see the stats on what portion of registered voters don’t show, especially when thinking I haven’t missed an election in my life.
Primary elections are important don’t forget about them!
November 14, 2024
This book offers a timely and insightful analysis of the American voting system. The author, also the founder of the Mobile Voting Project, explores the history, challenges, and possibilities of voting from our devices. He argues that in a society where we manage many aspects of our lives through smartphones, we should also be able to vote using them.
The author outlines the technological, logistical, and political challenges of implementing mobile voting but contends that the potential benefits—especially in increasing voter turnout and accessibility—far outweigh the risks. He presents mobile voting as a possible solution for restoring faith in our democratic system.
Additionally, the book features essays from Martin Luther King Jr. III and other prominent political figures, along with several chapters focused on external hacking threats. The discussion includes potential cybersecurity risks and suggests building secure voting systems. While the book doesn't provide all the answers, it raises essential questions and outlines a roadmap for a possible future.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
The author outlines the technological, logistical, and political challenges of implementing mobile voting but contends that the potential benefits—especially in increasing voter turnout and accessibility—far outweigh the risks. He presents mobile voting as a possible solution for restoring faith in our democratic system.
Additionally, the book features essays from Martin Luther King Jr. III and other prominent political figures, along with several chapters focused on external hacking threats. The discussion includes potential cybersecurity risks and suggests building secure voting systems. While the book doesn't provide all the answers, it raises essential questions and outlines a roadmap for a possible future.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
January 17, 2026
A very complete case for using mobile devices to modernize our voting system. The best part to me was that the author has already developed all the software and it is open and source and ready for the local government to use.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2025
I think the author may save democracy. However, even though this book is a must read, the author is not likeable.
March 1, 2025
This book presents a premise that could have made for an engaging essay but struggles to justify its full length. The central thesis—that mobile voting could increase primary participation and lead to more moderate candidates—is intriguing, though not necessarily convincingly argued. Unfortunately, much of the book is padded with digressions and political signaling rather than a rigorous defense of its argument.
While the author writes in a breezy, accessible style and introduces interesting technology, he spends more time positioning himself as a centrist with the “correct” views than meaningfully engaging with opposing perspectives. His treatment of counterarguments, particularly concerns about voter coercion, is disappointingly dismissive. Rather than substantively addressing these concerns, he waves them away with a simplistic “it doesn’t happen with paper ballots,” a response that feels inadequate for such a complex issue.
Ultimately, the book moves quickly and has moments of genuine insight, but much of its potential is lost in extraneous commentary. Readers who align with the author’s political outlook may find it affirming, but those looking for a deeper exploration of mobile voting’s implications—both technological and political—will likely come away frustrated.
While the author writes in a breezy, accessible style and introduces interesting technology, he spends more time positioning himself as a centrist with the “correct” views than meaningfully engaging with opposing perspectives. His treatment of counterarguments, particularly concerns about voter coercion, is disappointingly dismissive. Rather than substantively addressing these concerns, he waves them away with a simplistic “it doesn’t happen with paper ballots,” a response that feels inadequate for such a complex issue.
Ultimately, the book moves quickly and has moments of genuine insight, but much of its potential is lost in extraneous commentary. Readers who align with the author’s political outlook may find it affirming, but those looking for a deeper exploration of mobile voting’s implications—both technological and political—will likely come away frustrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews