While Pokemon Go players are trying to “catch ‘em all”, Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday is using the popular app to catch young voters. A voter registration event takes place Saturday at two locations in downtown Jonesboro that are called “Poke-stops”. Holliday says he is trying to attract the 18 to 24-year-old demographic. He says that age group is under-represented.
“If you look at the number of registered voters in the county, that is the most underserved age demographic,” said Holliday. “For 18-24 year olds, only 60% of the potential voters are actually registered to vote. For those older voters, those numbers are at least 80%.”
Holliday says in this year’s election, it is important to get as many people as possible to the polls to vote. He hopes the game will help attract potential voters.
“I think this is a way that we may be able to reach out to them doing something they enjoy so they can get involved in this process early.”
CNN.com reports that in the 2008 presidential election, only 8% of votersin that age range actually voted. In Craighead County, Holliday says only about 38% of those eligible voters between 18 and 24 actually voted. The free event will include a cookout and it will be held Saturday from three to five. It will be held at the Hattie Caraway Memorial and the anchor from the USS Arkansas in Jonesboro. Holliday says he is paying for the event and county funds are not being used to hold the event.
