Study: Political use of phones on the rise

Registered voters are increasingly using their cellphones for political information and activities, according to a Pew Center study released Tuesday.

The study found that 27 percent of registered voters who own a cellphone have used it during the 2012 campaign to keep up with political news. 

Among voters who use text messaging, 19 percent said they have sent messages about the campaign. Five percent said they have signed up to receive text messages from a candidate or political group, and 5 percent said they have received political messages they did not want.

The study found that 45 percent of voters with smartphones have read political comments on social media sites, and 35 percent said they have fact-checked political statements in real time.

Political mobile applications have a long way to go to gain mainstream popularity — just 8 percent said they have used an app from a candidate, party or interest group.

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