Facebook launches voting information hub to encourage users to vote this fall
The Facebook logo is displayed at the Facebook Innovation Hub on Feb. 24, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
MENLO PARK, Calif. - Facebook on Thursday launched a center for information on voting to help people cast their ballot in this year's November general election, company officials said.
The Menlo Park-based social media company hopes to help 4 million people register to vote and expects more than 160 million in the United States will see the information on the Voting Information Center.
Company officials said the effort is the largest voting information campaign in American history and said it's nonpartisan.
Facebook wants every eligible voter who uses their site to vote this year.
Facebook users were expected to be able to see the new feature Thursday at the top of their Facebook and Instagram feeds. Users may find it now along the left side of the page in the menu column below their name.
The Voting Information Center includes posts about changes to voting processes and other announcements from verified area election officials. Users can receive notifications about these alerts.
Users can also get information on registering to vote, who's eligible, how to ask for a mail-in ballot, information for voters overseas and in the military and locations and times for early voting.
Information will also be available to help people plan to vote on Election Day, such as when and where to vote and whether identification will be required.
Another feature of the center allows state and local election officials to reach out to their constituents with updates about voting. Another section of the center provides stories on voting topics from the Bipartisan Policy Center, which aims to challenge misinformation.