U.S. House Democrats adopt mobile internet voting for leadership contests
From WWW.REUTERS.COM
(Reuters) - U. S. lawmakers used a mobile phone app over the last two weeks to remotely cast votes for the first time, according to technologists and some involved in the process, embracing technology to facilitate an internal party leadership contest.
The development marks a shift in how Congress is adapting to the internet, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Use of the app, called Markup ERVS, had not been publicly disclosed before Friday. (ERVS stands for “Electronic Remote Voting System.”)
A total of 230 Democrats in the House of Representatives logged into Markup on their government-provided iPhones to cast 11 votes over several days for a variety of contested leadership positions, including the assistant speaker, the chairs of major committees and the leadership of the House campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Markup spokesperson Colby Redmond.
The House Democrats also chose their caucus chair through the app, which transfers data to staff in Washington.
Earlier this year, the House changed its procedures for voting on legislation by the full chamber. It allowed members, for the first time, to communicate their votes to colleagues in Washington, who then cast those votes for them in person.
So far, only Democrats have adopted the Markup technology. Republicans have expressed concerns about virtual voting, saying it sets a bad precedent.
U. S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, who leads the House Democratic Caucus, said in a statement that the Markup app allowed Democrats “to safely recreate the traditions of the House Democ... (Read more)
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