Google launches election-related features weeks before US election 2020

Ahead of the US election 2020, the tech giant Google has decided to add some features related to the elections and voting which can help the voters through the process.

If a voter searches for phrases such as "early voting locations" or"ballot drop boxes near me", the search engine will now show the details on where can one go to vote and will also show the drop boxes for mail-in voters. The search will also give information such as the distance and time it will take to travel there, and the amount of crowd.

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The same will also remind people about what all do the voters need to carry with themselves while going to that specific location, such as identitity cards,bring your ballot completed and sealed, and so on.

"Just as easily, you`ll soon be able to ask, `Hey Google, where do I vote?` and Google Assistant will share details on where to vote nearby on your Assistant-enabled phone, smart speaker or Smart Display," Yunhan Xu, Product Manager at Google wrote in a blog post.

"After you`ve selected a voting location or ballot drop box in your area, you can click through from Google Search or Google Assistant to Google Maps for quick information about how far it is, how to get there, and voting hours."

Similarly, if you search for your voting location in Google Maps you`ll have easy access to the feature in Search to help you confirm where you can cast your vote, the company said.

The features have been revealed just a couple of weeks prior to the election date, i.e. November 03. Some of the states have already started early voting. This year, the election is between the US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival and former Vice President Joe Biden.