Google launches features to locate voting places, ballot drop-offs

Google launched features to help voters locate places to vote or drop off ballots ahead of Election Day, the company announced Friday. 

Users who search queries such as “early voting locations” or “ballot drop boxes near me” will find details on where to vote or return mail-in ballots, whether voters choose to vote early or on Nov. 3, Google said in a blog post.

Using the voice-activated Google Assistant feature, users can also ask “Hey Google, where do I vote” and receive details on voting locations. 

Google will offer users information on how far away a location is, how to get there, as well as information on voting hours. 

The push comes as the company said searches for “how to vote” in the U.S. are higher than ever before. 

Based on Google’s trend data, searches for “how to vote” have peaked in September. Searches for “how to vote” last month more than doubled the amount of the same searches around the same time four years ago, based on the data. 

Election Day is 18 days away, but record numbers of U.S. voters have cast ballots early in this year’s elections.