2015 General Election 2.0: The best political apps for last-minute swatting

We’re all agreed that this has been the most digital election yet. Between #milifandom and the #cameronettes, social media and online registration has played a larger role in getting people to vote than ever before.

 

Think tanks, newspapers and crowdfunders have all had a go at creating the ultimate election tool to capture the imagination of the politics nerd and the floating voter (the floater, if you will). 

 

These apps come in many shapes and sizes: whether you’re a shrewd tactical voter, or you want to know more about the background of your prospective MP, these websites could be a valuable source of last-minute information.

 

 

This very handy web-app provides a comprehensive list of every candidate and a run-down of their key policy pledges. Want to know if your Lib Dem candidate prioritises raising the personal allowance? Just enter your postcode and you’ll find a list with all the information you need. The website also allows you to answer quick-fire questions to match you to your most politically aligned candidate – as if you haven’t already made up your mind…

 

 

This is probably the most comprehensive match-making app between you and your ideal party. It’s a little rudimentary for your average City PM reader, but if you have children who are keen to get more engaged in politics, it could be a useful tool. It asks a string of questions ranging from your views on welfare to your opinion on the environment and tells you the proportion you agree with the five biggest parties. You can tell it’s aimed at the youth: it comes on a funky iPhone/iPad-compatible app and features nifty infographics.

 

 

The party leaders may have done a good job of ignoring anyone who mentions the C-word, but the rest of us know it’s more than likely and we’ve been doing the sums. 326 is the number of seats a party needs to form a majority in the House. Which parties combined add up to the magic number? Try it yourself using the interactive tool on coalitionbuilder.co.uk, which updates seat predictions using data from the latest polls.

 

 

Vote swapping is a time-honoured tradition designed to game the First Past the Post system for all it’s worth; the internet has just made it easier. Swapmyvote.uk partners people up who want to vote for a minority party so each can cast their vote in a constituency where a candidate is most likely to get elected. Does it achieve anything? Probably not, but you’ve got more chance of shaking things up in this election than any in recent history.

 

 

This is among the most important questions in constituency voting – if there’s a 50 per cent gulf between the forecast for first and second place, you can probably afford to make a protest vote. If the Tories and Labour are head to head, best to make your vote count by casting your cross along tribal lines. This site is as simple as they come – enter your post code and you’re met with the latest forecasts from electionforecast.co.uk. Quite simply the easiest way to ensure you don’t regret your decision later today.

 

 

If you know what your values are, but aren’t sure where this leaves you politically,  political Compass can help. Fill out a form, and you’ll be shown where you fall on the political spectrum. Even if you think you know where you stand, give it a go anyway – you might find your views are out of sync with your tribe.