Election season is in full force. Regardless of whether you swing right or left (or someplace in between), there are great smartphone apps that can help inform your decision-making. Whether you are looking for insight and entertainment around the 2012 presidential election, want to verify if campaign promises are accurate, or want your favored candidate tucked in your pocket, these top-of-the-ticket apps are worthy of your vote and download.
Comedy Central’s Indecision Game (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Free)
Comedy Central and its flagship news satire program The Daily Show are again teaming up for coverage of the 2012 presidential and congressional elections. This year you can engage in political combat in a branded trivia game from the Indecision team. Comedy Central’s Indecision Game lets you take on players from Game Center or Facebook in politics-focused trivia competitions. Winning a round of the trivia game, each of which features three questions, earns you “voters” that you can add to your party and to the map of the U.S. You can then assign those voters to different states to earn points and use them to take down your opponents. You can also customize your avatar as you earn money from competing and leveling-up your character. Also available from Comedy Central for iDevice owners is the Indecision Election Companion, which satirically updates users on relevant campaign events.
Politifact Mobile (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, $1.99)
Politicians tend to exaggerate situations and in some cases outright fib in order to win a hotly contested election. Want to see if President Obama’s portrayal of the automotive bailout is accurate, or if Mitt Romney really was for universal healthcare before he was against it? Politifact Mobile is for you. Powered by the Pulitzer Prize-winning website Politifact.com, this is the perfect app to bring to a cocktail party or barbecue in order to settle partisan debates. See when your favorite and least favorite candidates are “Mostly True” or have their “Pants on Fire.”
Download the Appolicious Android app
2012 Map: The Presidential Election App (iPhone, iPod Touch, $0.99)
Those who follow the Electoral College take heed, because your day in the sun is coming soon. 2012 Map: The Presidential Election App will get you fired up for the upcoming election because it provides a detailed projection of which states will vote Democrat or Republican this November. In addition, 2012 Map also features historical voting data for each election, so you can compare the political landscape of different eras. Users can change the colors of the states for the 2012 election to create dream scenarios for their favorite candidate.
Obama for America (iPhone, iPod Touch, Free)
The official app from the Obama campaign includes news and policy updates, a link to donate money (that you can easily share with others) and the campaign events near your location. The app also includes voter registration rules and tips to rally your friends and contacts to vote by or before election day.
With Mitt (iPhone, iPod Touch, Free)
While this app became a punchline of sorts when it was revealed that an early version misspelled “America,” it does provide a novel and fun way for Romney fanatics to broadcast and share their support. The app lets users take pictures with Romney images and messages superimposed within them. The Romney campaign also created the Mitt’s VP app for iOS and Android devices and used it to announce his selection of Paul Ryan as running mate via push notification.
