Polling-Station Game Brings Voting to Life
Plymouth (UK), May 2015 - A polling station is the unlikely setting for a new online game aimed at bringing the experience of voting to life for first-time voters. With around a million young people expected to cast their vote for the first time in the UK general election on 07 May, the game offers them a taste of the polling-station experience.
Award-winning eLearning company Sponge UK has produced the free game as a fun way to engage people in voting and debunk some of the myths about the polling station. It is called "First Past the Post", and it puts the player in the role of a first-time voter who has suddenly remembered it is Election Day with just five minutes until the close of polls.
They must get to the polling station in time, overcome a series of challenges including identifying incorrect ballot papers and spotting people who are breaking the polling station rules, and then get home again before their dinner gets cold.
Managing Director of Sponge UK, Louise Pasterfield, said, “Earlier this year, I went on a visit to the Houses of Parliament and heard a bill being read out. Seeing democracy in action was inspiring, and I wanted to do something to encourage people to exercise their right to vote.
"Voting at a poll station is pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to bear in mind, so the game highlights some of these while injecting an element of fun. I hope that people who have never set foot inside a polling station before will learn something from the game as well as enjoy the challenge."
Sponge UK specialises in creating bespoke eLearning games for large businesses and organisations that can help staff develop their skills and improve their performance.
The company’s game developer, Jason Butler, said, "We’ve combined game techniques with quirky illustrations to create a fun learning game. It’s built using the HTML Phaser game tool, so it’s fully functional on desktop, mobiles, or tablets."