(Menlo Park, CA, Tuesday, September 22, 2020) Today is National Voter Registration Day and Facebook is launching a Week of Action to support registration efforts across the country. While voter registration efforts are always important, this year is especially so as the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult to operate as usual. With possible changes to the normal process, it is even more vital that people have accurate information about when and how to register and vote. With six weeks until Election Day and registration deadlines fast approaching in many states, this week will see Facebook putting the full force of their platform behind the campaign to empower every eligible voter to make their voice heard in this election.

Ongoing Registration Drive

Earlier this summer Facebook outlined a goal to help register 4 million eligible voters this year. To date, the company estimates they have helped 2.5 million people register across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, based on conversion rates calculated from various states they have partnered with. It’s a promising start, but there is more work to do.

All this week, users will see an ongoing Registration Drive at the top of Facebook, Instagram and Messenger apps, showing people in the US information on how to register. These notifications take them to the relevant page with their state’s official website or a non-partisan partner organization if online voter registration isn’t available in their state.

Other ways the company is promoting voter registration across all platforms include:

• Launching the #PledgeToVoteChallenge on Facebook where people can show they’re planning to vote and tag their friends to nominate them to join the Challenge
• Rolling out sticker packs so people can share in their Messenger chats or use in their Facebook and Instagram Stories to show how they’re participating and encourage their friends and family to do the same.
• New National Voter Registration Day stickers launch today, created by artists from the Instagram community. Users who use the new stickers will be added to a special Register To Vote story.
• The company has also been working with amazing Instagram artists to develop stickers about voting from requesting a mail ballot to letting your community know that you registered. To discover more fun stickers related to elections, simply visit the sticker tray in your stories.

Consumer Awareness Campaign to Help Get Out The Vote

Facebook has also kicked off a national campaign, “More Questions, More Answers,” encouraging people to visit and use the Voting Information Center to help ensure their vote is counted in this election. Facebook app and Instagram will also run campaigns on the platform to encourage people to visit the Voting Information Center.

Notably, this is the first time Facebook has run a campaign for the company and apps together, underscoring its significance to Facebook’s mission to help give people a voice. The campaign, which launched on Monday, will run across national broadcast, cable, radio, and digital homepage takeovers within lifestyle and news outlets.

New Information in the Voting Information Center

So far more than 39 million people have visited the Voting Information Center on Facebook and Instagram to get information about how to register and how to vote from their state’s official website or through a non-partisan partner site. Now that registration deadlines are approaching, those deadlines are included so people have enough time to complete their registration applications.

Next week, Facebook is launching the early voting feature with more information about early voting polling locations, dates, and hours. People can also learn about vote-by-mail options in their state, request a mail or absentee ballot if that’s available for them, and learn about upcoming deadlines so they have enough time to plan ahead. The Voting Information Center on Facebook is now available in Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, and Mandarin to help U.S. citizens register and vote in their native language.

Getting Voter Registration Information via WhatsApp

Facebook has also worked to make helpful services available via messaging. WhatsApp has worked to bring the International Fact-Checking Network onto WhatsApp so people can get accurate information about voting issues in English and Spanish. In addition, Vote.org is now available on WhatsApp to provide people with information on how to register or request a mail ballot, and get help if they encounter a problem at the polls.

For more information on this announcement, please visit the Facebook Newsroom.