Mobile app sends Miami users the wrong date for Election Day. So, here’s a reminder

When is Election Day? A popular public service app didn’t get it right on Tuesday.

The Gov2Go app markets itself as a “personal assistant for government” and sends its users messages about their interactions with government — things like voter registration, notifications on voting, vehicle registration, notices of governmental holidays and such.

But it got confused, and sent its users the wrong date for Election Day.

Just know this: Election Day is Nov. 3 this year.

But around 9:30. Tuesday morning, the mobile-focused platform sent its users in Miami-Dade County the wrong information. Rather than the correct Nov. 3, Gov2Go told its users Election Day was three days later.

Oops.

This, of course, got many voters flustered —or suspicious.

Worried about voter misinformation

A user who identifies as a “poll watcher” reached out to ProPublica to call attention to the gaffe. The user, who said she did not want to forward the email she had received because she did not want her name associated with the report, was concerned that the “misinformation will result in voter suppression,” according to the ProPublica tip.

Several users, however, did not mind sharing the email and Gov2Go’s erroneous information.

“Ugh” was a common refrain.

Gov2Go, which is operated by NIC Inc., a digital government service provider for federal, state and local governments in the 50 states since 2017 and headquartered in Kansas, responded with a mea culpa a few minutes after noon and made a correction.

“Hi there — Thank you for reaching out. This message was an honest mistake. We sent a corrected email out as soon as we were made aware,” Gov2Go responded on Twitter to users that tagged the company.

Gov2Go has not said how the mistake happened or how many users received the misinformation.

So when is Election Day?

This is a good opportunity to remind you, again, that Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. that day, and on that day you must vote at your assigned precinct if you are opting to vote in person.

How do I vote and make sure it is counted in Florida’s election? Follow this guide

Early voting for president, local races starts Monday. Here’s where in South Florida

However, early voting began its two-week period on Monday through Nov. 1 in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach and through Oct. 31 in Monroe County.

You can also vote by mail and your ballots must be received by your county’s election department by 7 p.m. Nov. 3. You can drop filled-out ballots in locked drop boxes at the early voting sites while they are open. But on Election Day you can’t drop your ballot off at your precinct and have it counted. You can, however, bring it with you to have it canceled and then vote in person should you desire.