With the climax of the American elections slowly approaching, what better way to show your support for your favourite candidate than a mobile phone application?

Some political supporters might favour the good old-fashioned sign in the front garden approach, or a pin badge or rally.

But for someone who is very with the programme, such as US Democrat candidate Barack Obama, that's all old hat. This week, Obama and his campaigners launched an application for iPhones that lets you "organise your personal contacts and ask them to 'get out and vote'."

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Supporters are also told they can call their friends - surely a staple of the iPhone?; make notes on which ones they have bothered with their tiresome reminders of the right to vote; and thanks to GPS, find their way to the nearest campaign office. 

Other features include up-to-date news, videos and photos. And yeah, lets mention it again. This is all done on the iPhone.

In a country, indeed century, not known for its high turnouts at elections any push here is to be applauded.  But an iPhone application?

This could be just the start of campaign teams adopting populist platforms to gather support, and perhaps the ideas will soon trickle through to UK party leaders. Will David Cameron throw his weight behind a Wii game in which points - or votes - are scored with the flick of a wrist? Will Gordon Brown marry and divorce Britney Spears? Will Nick Clegg fall out of a taxi with Amy Winehouse? 

Or will the entire democratic process be judged on juggling abilities, and decided on by Simon Cowell.

Time will tell.

03 Oct 2008