5 apps to help change the world

Ahead of the 2012 presidential elections, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law teamed up with several voters' rights groups to create the Election Protection App.

The free app allows users to review voting regulations and registration requirements in their state, register to vote, locate their polling site and to report problems or have questions answered at the polls.

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law works with the country's traditionally disenfranchised populations, including African Americans, Latinos and young people -- which are also the groups with the highest rates of smartphone ownership.

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, manager of Legal Mobilization and Strategic Campaigns with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said the app is even more important to use now.

That's because a 2013 Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act makes it easier for states with a history of discriminatory voter policies to change their voting laws and practices without the previously required federal pre-clearance.

Election Protection is being used as a tool for organizers on the ground. The app is currently undergoing a revamp ahead of this November's midterm elections.

Available on iOS and Android.

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