Team Name

Envoy

Team Members

Project Description

The Challenge

How can we help more people to understand their democracy, have an opportunity to participate in civic life, contribute to their community, and/or feel a sense of belonging and responsibility?

Snag the Vote

Our innovative application integrates the tradition of the "democracy sausage" with voting logistics to enhance the election day experience in Australia.

This app features an interactive map showing users the closest polling stations in real-time and where the local sausage sizzles are taking place.

The app allows sausage sizzle locations to register directly via the platform, making it easy for organizers to promote their barbecues to voters. In addition, customers could help grow the community spirit by registering a location if they come across a sausage sizzle that hasn’t been listed yet.

While we are aware of pre-existing sausage rating sites, we believe Snag the Vote expands upon that idea by incorporating real-time electoral data, results tracking and encouraging continued community interactions via the "vote" and social experience.

Cast your Vote

Each registered sausage sizzle location can have users' rate the sausage on offer allowing voters to not only participate in the democratic process but also cast their "vote" on the best sausage of the day.

When casting your vote users can customize their sausage preferences by selecting specific options, such as with or without onions, and with or without sauce or mustard. This feature would allow voters to fine-tune their sausage experience, rating not just the sausage itself but also the quality of popular toppings.

Your Local Candidate

Utilizing AEC data, the app also provides default information about the candidates, in their current location and the parties they represent. Members details are displayed in random order to ensure non-biased information. Users can click the profile picture to view basic details such as Name, Party and Electoral contact details based on their Parliament of Australia profile data.

A 'More Details' button is available which opens the Parliament of Australia website search results page based selected members details.

After the Vote

After casting their vote, users can further engage by taking a photo at their polling station or with their prized democracy sausage and share it across the social media feed. This encourages voters to celebrate their participation in the democratic process while also spreading awareness about the importance of voting.

Social sharing options can also spark friendly competition between friends or communities to see who cast their vote or found the best democracy sausage. By integrating social media into the election experience, the app would not only foster a sense of accomplishment among voters but also help drive turnout by encouraging others to get involved and head to the polls.

To continue engagement and maintain excitement after election day, the app can also display real-time results from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC). Users can stay tuned in by following live updates on election outcomes by viewing interactive, user-friendly visualizations of vote counts and party standings across different electorates and the nation as a whole.

The app features real-time data showing how users have voted for their favorite democracy sausages, creating a fun, interactive way to track sausage preferences across Australia.

These stats could show the percentage of voters who preferred sausages with or without onions, or which condiment reigned supreme, whether it’s tomato sauce, mustard, BBQ sauce, or no sauce at all. The app could display regional sausage trends, highlighting preferences like "Sydney loves onions" or "Melbourne prefers mustard," sparking playful rivalry between cities or regions.

This real-time sausage data would not only encourage voters to participate in the fun but also add a unique, engaging twist to the election day experience, turning a beloved tradition into a nationwide conversation.

Expansion on Solution

Beyond election day, the app could expand into several other areas to engage users year-round and further promote community involvement: Bunnings sausage sizzle, Sporting Events & Festivals and Charity Fundraisers. These updates would help to encourage people to participate in community events locally and nationally. It also promotes continued involvement with a long-standing Australian Tradition.

Previous election results and snag "vote" results can be displayed going into each new election cycle. Trends and swings in sausage preferences can be used showing Australians changes over time.

AI can be leveraged to automate image scanning for social gallery photo uploads to ensure safe content without the necessity of human approval.

Resources and Development Lifecycle

The team used a wide variety of tools and data sources to bring the idea to life. Here are some screen shots of the development process and tools.

Workflow

Prototyping