With the 2012 Presidential Election fast approaching, so is the time to reveal who Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate will be. In a sign of the smartphone-obsessed times, the campaign will announce it first through a mobile app.
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Called “Mitt’s VP,” the app is available for iOS and Android devices. The campaign promises that the announcement will appear there first, before the name is released to the press. (We’ll see how that works, since campaigns are notorious for leaking news early.)
Whom Romney will pick is, naturally, a big subject of speculation. Several names have made the so-called “short list,” including Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Florida Senator Marco Rubio and New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte.
There's no word on when the choice will be announced, but the release of “Mitt’s VP” suggests that we’ll find out soon.
The Romney plan marks the first time that such a high-profile political announcement would be made through a mobile app, although campaigns have used other hip technologies, such as Twitter, to get the word out.
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There’s a catch, though: to get the announcement, you will have to register for an account on the Romney campaign website. While you may be getting this all-important announcement first, the campaign is getting something even more valuable: your contact information.
These days, building a comprehensive and significant mailing list helps campaigns keep their candidates in the minds of voters, and also has proven to be a massive fundraising tool.
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While Romney may be grabbing the headlines, Democrats are also using mobile apps to get the word out. The Obama campaign itself has the “Obama 2012” app, which provides users with news, pictures and videos of campaign events.
On Tuesday (July 31), the Democratic National Committee released its own “Obama for America” app, which provides users with local event information and for supporters to focus on.
Of course, there’s also a section of the app to donate to the campaign. No matter the political party or the tech, fundraising remains the most important thing.