A web development firm in Carrboro was instrumental in making sure that people all over the sprawling terrain of Libya could register to vote in last week’s elections.

“You text your national ID and your preferred polling location,” says Strategy Director Hao Nguyen of the Carrboro-based web development firm Caktus Group, “and it just texts you back a confirmation. It sounds really simple, but it’s actually a highly complex system.”

Nguyen is talking about the company’s SMS voter registration system used in last week’s elections in Libya. Caktus Group was hired to help make last week’s voting process, which was marred by occasional violence, run as smoothly as possible.

“The Libyan General national Congress issued a mandate to create an SMS – a mobile-message voter-registration system,” says Nguyen, “because the population is actually quite spread out. A big chunk of Libya is in the Sahara Desert. They needed a way to give easy access to voters to register across a wide expanse of a very spread-out population.

“As part of the technology implementation, they had hired another company to help them find us, basically.”

Caktus Group had gained an international reputation through its mobile application specialty Rapid SMS, a programming framework that has been used successfully with The International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, and others around the world.

According to Nguyen, the initial phase of the voter-registration system was built in just six months. It was used in sort of a test run back in February, in elections for Libya’s constitutional draft writers.

Nguyen says that, as of last week, a member of Caktus group was in Libya monitoring the progress of voter registration, and the effectiveness of the SMS application.

“The voter registration system seems to have worked excellently,” says Nguyen. “They needed it in order to verify the people coming to the polling stations were the correct registrants.”

Currently, the system has registered 1.5 million Libyans, according to a press release from Caktus Group.

The company’s founding owners are Tobias McNulty, Colin Copeland, and Alexander Lemann, a group of friends that had attended Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana together.

Caktus Group began life in 2007 with a small group of people working out of a cooperative space in Carrboro.

The company has grown to 20 people, and its own office on Lloyd Street.

Soon, the company will move to Morris Street in Downtown Durham.

“We’re growing so much, and so quickly, we actually had to buy a building in Durham,” says Nguyen. “We couldn’t find a space that was quite large enough for us.”

Related Stories
‹
Carrboro: Safe Routes To School, Arbor Day, Freight Train Blues
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, April 24, discussing town news and events. She talked about the most recent meeting of the town council, which saw a presentation on the Safe Routes to School program, and the town purchasing a parking lot on West Weaver Street. She also previewed some upcoming town events, including Arbor Day festivities, the Freight Train Blues Series, and more.
Police: Additional Charges Filed in Carrboro High School Gunfire Incident
The Carrboro Police Department announced new charges and suspects in relation to an investigation into gunfire near Carrboro High School earlier in April and a separate criminal violation at the school on March 6. The Carrboro Police originally charged two juveniles in the investigation into the April incident: a 17-year-old Carrboro High student and a […]
Carrboro: Carrboro Earth Day, Emergency Management Standards, Capital Investments
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, April 17, discussing town news and events. She talked about the upcoming Carrboro Earth Day festivities this weekend, which will see the Open Streets closure of weaver street for the afternoon. She also discussed the town adopting the National Incident Management System, a look at the town's capital investments plan, some other upcoming events, and more.
West End Building Company: Creating Alignment by Building Tiny Homes
In a housing market long defined by square footage and scale, a quieter shift is taking shape across Chapel Hill, Durham, and the surrounding Triangle, one that favors simplicity, flexibility, and a more intentional way of living.
Local Municipal Offices to Close for Observance of Good Friday
Local government offices and services around the community will be closed to observe Good Friday on April 3. Here’s a rundown of what residents can expect: Town of Chapel Hill The Town of Chapel Hill’s government offices will be closed Friday, and some facilities will also be closed Easter Sunday, April 5. Residential trash collection […]
Carrburritos Announces Move to Former Elmo's Diner Location in Carr Mill Mall
Carrburritos, a popular Carrboro burrito restaurant, will take over the space previously occupied by Grata Diner and Elmo's Diner.
UNC Club Brings Solar Energy to TABLE, Saving the Pantry Money and Expanding Food Access
While not visible to those passing by, something new decorates the rooftop of TABLE’s downtown Carrboro facility.
‘Mind Your Business’: Local Openings, Closings and Updates in January-March 2026
The start of 2026 featured some early closures, openings and plenty of returns to business in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and beyond.
Chapel Hill And Carrboro Hold Third No Kings Day, Joining Communities Nationwide
Chapel Hill and Carrboro residents participated in the third No Kings Day on Saturday, Mar. 28, protesting President Donald Trump.
Photo Gallery: No Kings Day Orange County, March 2026
On Mar. 28, people from across Orange County gathered to participate in the third 'No Kings Day.' Here is our photo gallery from the event.
›