You'll be able to contribute to 2020 presidential campaigns via Alexa
But don't let your friends troll you with donations to candidates you can't stand.
With debates underway and just a few months until the first primaries, 2020 presidential election campaigns are in full swing, and you'll soon have another way to donate to your favorite candidate. Campaigns can sign up to receive contributions via Alexa and, from next month, you'll be able to donate between $5 and $200 to participating candidates through Amazon's voice assistant.
The company says it's straightforward for campaigns to sign up to Alexa Political Contributions, and it doesn't require any technical knowhow. Amazon will use the default payment details linked to your Amazon account to make contributions on your behalf. Just be sure your friends don't troll you when they come over by asking Alexa to donate to a candidate you despise. (You can set up a four-digit voice code for purchases and donations in the Alexa app.)
Meanwhile, you'll be able to ask Alexa a range of new election-related queries to keep up to date on the latest happenings. Building on features Amazon brought in for the midterms, you can ask the assistant about which candidates are running, who's leading polls, their stances on issues, who's endorsed them and the debate schedule, among other topics.
Amazon says it wants Alexa to be an "objective source for elections information" with timely, relevant and accurate details on candidates and votes. It pulls from hundreds of sources and works with nonpartisan organizations to verify the info. "Alexa is a conduit, not a news creator," Amazon emphasized in a blog post. "Whenever possible we let you choose which news providers you prefer to watch, listen to, and get live updates from."
