VOA常速英语:New Tech Tools Help US Voters Decide How to Vote(翻译)

With catered lunches and a bar in the office,Brigade may look like a typical Silicon Valley startup,but what the company is trying to do in politics is anything but typical.Nonpartisan Brigade is trying to change behavior and increase political participation.

“We need to give people easy access to the information they need to make decisions but we also need to embed that within their social lives.We need to make that part of the conversations they’re having with their friends and we need to create cultural norms around participating”.

Brigade Matt Mahan says,“With either a mobile map or other web,users can debate issues and try to sway others to their positions.Users can also see how their views align with political candidates and pledge to vote for a certain candidate.”

“I think that’s kind of the point of democracy is to create this public square where people can discuss and debate their values and their perspectives on issues and ultimately create trade-offs and come to a conclusion about what’s the best way to move forward to create the greatest good for the most people”.

Another politically minded tech company that was not around until the last presidential race is Crowdpac.

“We’re using technology to try to help the average citizen connect and engage in politics”.

The nonpartisan site describes itself as the first crowdfunding platform designed for politics. Crowdpac provides information about people running for office, helps users find and support the candidates that share their views and helps those running for office raise money through crowdfunding.

Crowdpac’s Gisel Kordestani says technology companies that are changing how people traditionally engage in politics by creating new avenues for political participationare examples of why politicians should pay attention to Silicon Valley.

“This region has just grown over the last four decades.It has grown into not a powerhouse just in the U.S. but globally,and is setting the technology, the platforms and the rules of the engagement for society,for work, for the environment globally.”

Kordestani says many tech companies in Silicon Valley are also realizing it’s important to work with politicians and the government to create positive change.