Tools
Voting & Government-Related Web Sites
For in-depth exploration and analysis of issues, candidates, parties, elections, and the media that cover their stories, this section provides links to sites offering a variety of perspectives.
Information and Analysis
Elections
Voting
Resources for Teachers
Information & Analysis
Center for Civic Education
The Center for Civic Education is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational corporation dedicated to promoting an enlightened and responsible citizenry committed to democratic principles and actively engaged in the practice of democracy in the United States and other countries.
Congress Votes Database
This database features "every vote in the United States Congress since the 102nd Congress (1991)." Browse votes by member or by topics such as party, state, region, "boomer status," gender and missed votes
C-Span.org: Federal Elected Officials
Contains contact information for elected officials, including the president, members of Congress, governors, state legislators and local officials. Site also includes phone numbers, fax, email addresses, committee and subcommittee assignments and campaign contributions received.
DocuTicker: Archive for Election 2008
Annotated links to government and policy documents concerning contemporary election issues. Features current information and archives of the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Offers a hand-picked selection of resources, reports and publications from government agencies, NGOs, think tanks and other public interest organizations.
e-Democracy: United States Political News, Information, and Links
A guide to broadcast and print news on elections, nonprofit and government sources, information for voters, discussion and news groups, and more general "global government, media, and political starting points" on the Internet.
Election Law
Blog by Richard L. Hasen, a law professor and William M. Raines Fellow at Loyola Law School. Discusses the law of politics and the politics of law: election law, campaign finance, legislation, voting rights, initiatives, redistricting. Brimming with valuable links and references to resources related to election law.
Election Statistics
Since 1920, the Clerk of the House has collected and published the official vote counts for federal elections from the official sources among the various states and territories. These documents, out of print for many years, have been collected and scanned in a format to make them once again available to researchers and students.
Guide to Law Online: Election Law
Collection of links to sites about the federal election process. Includes links to the Constitution, executive, judicial, and legislative information; legal guides on topics such as the Electoral College and election reform; and related exhibits and materials.
State and Local Government on the ‘Net
The State and Local Government Internet directory provides convenient one-stop access to the Web sites of thousands of state agencies and city and county governments
Teens, Video Games and Civics
This survey provides the first nationally representative study of teen video game play and of teen video gaming and civic engagement. The survey looks at which teens are playing games, the games and equipment they are using, the social context of their play, and the role of parents and parental monitoring. Though arguments have been made about the civic potential of video gaming, this is the first large-scale study to examine the relationship between specific gaming experiences and teens' civic activities and commitments. From the Pew Research Center.
PolitiFact.com
Created to help the public separate fact from falsehood in the political rhetoric. Journalists and researchers from the St. Petersburg Times and CQ (Congressional Quarterly) fact-check the accuracy of speeches, TV ads, interviews and other political communications. Browse the site’s “Truth-O-Meter” by candidate, subject, political party and other factors.
Politics1.com
Founded in 1997, Politics1 is published as a nonpartisan public service by sole proprietor Ron Gunzburger “to promote fully informed decision-making by the American electorate.” This information/blog site deals with the Presidency, state/federal candidates and political parties.
U.S. Census Bureau: 2008 Elections
Collection of pre-primary and pre-caucus snapshots of specific states for the 2008 presidential election. The site provides selected population characteristics (such as median age, household income and persons below poverty) and the percentage of voting age citizens from each state who voted in the 2004 general election. From the U.S. Census Bureau.
Vote411.org – League of Women Voters Education Fund
A "one-stop-shop" for election related information sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. Provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on absentee balloting, ballot measures, early voting options, election dates, factual data on the candidates, how to watch the debates with a critical eye, polling place location, registration deadlines and voter qualifications and registration information.
Elections
How Do Caucuses Work?
This essay explains how caucuses work and outlines the differences between presidential primaries and caucuses, which are both "a means for each political party to let voters nationwide select their party's presidential nominee." The Iowa caucuses–the first of the presidential election year–are used as an example.
U.S. Electoral College
Information on the Electoral College, including its history, how it works, relevant law, allocation of electoral votes, results from past elections, deadlines for state officials, links to teaching resources, and a FAQ. From the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA).
U.S. Electoral College: 2008 Presidential Election
Background about the Electoral College and the 2008 presidential election. See how votes are distributed among the states, state laws and requirements, and use the Electoral College calculator to predict who will win the election. From the Office of the Federal Register, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
The Electoral College Vote Calculator
Anticipate U.S. presidential election outcomes by entering Electoral College results in the calculator. Reconstruct the election as it happens, or play “what if” games to build entirely new election scenarios.
FEC Watch
FEC Watch is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research group that tracks money in politics and its effect on elections and public policy. The group monitors enforcement activities of the Federal Election Commission and other government entities and encourages the entities to enforce the law. From the Center for Responsive Politics.
Voting
Beyond Red and Blue
Provides a map dividing the United States into ten political regions with roughly equal voting populations based on voting returns from both national and state elections, demographic data from the U.S. Census, and geographic features. Provides detailed descriptions of each region and presents an analysis of opportunities for Democrats and Republicans in presidential elections in the regions. From the Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth.
The Center for Voting and Democracy
Research and analysis of election-related topics such as instant voting runoff, redistricting, voter turnout and more. The section called "What's New" provides a frequently updated, concise overview of current electoral issues. Also features an "online library" with articles on topics such as proportional representation and election reform. From the Center for Voting and Democracy
Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP)
Information about the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which covers U.S. citizens serving in the armed forces, their family members, and other U.S. citizens living in other countries. Provides postcard applications for absentee ballots and links to local election officials and voting assistance officers.
Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities
Find information on participating in the electoral process for people with disabilities. Includes news, laws, standards, best practices and more. From the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES).
League of Women Voters
Learn about voter information, civic participation and current public policy issues such as election reform, campaign finance reform and health care. Includes up-to-date information and tools to get involved in the democratic process at the federal, state and local levels.
Overseas Vote Foundation
The Overseas Vote Foundation helps overseas and military voters participate in federal elections by providing access to innovative voter registration tools and services. Users can register to vote and find alerts about the voting process as well as state-specific elections and absentee registration deadlines.
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1990 to engage youth in the political process by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities.
USA.gov
As the U.S. government's official Web portal, USA.gov makes it easy for the public to get U.S. government information and services on the Web. USA.gov also serves as the catalyst for a growing electronic government.
U.S. Census Bureau: Voting and Registration
Collects data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in November of congressional and presidential election years, and can be found in the Current Population Survey (CPS). Statistical projections of the voting-age population by age, race, Hispanic origin, and gender are derived from administrative data that is produced every other year before the elections.
United States Election Assistance Commission
USEAC is an independent, bipartisan commission created by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002. It issues guidance about HAVA, adopts voluntary voting system guidelines, audits the use of HAVA funds, and provides best practices and resources to election officials throughout the nation. Some background documents are available in Spanish.
Voting
Explains how votes are interpreted when one political candidate does not win a majority in an election. Topics addressed include plurality, run-offs, and the Borda method, a ranking system which assigns a certain number of points to each place. From the Washington State University Department of Mathematics.
Voting Section Home Page
Provides an introduction to federal voting rights laws and information about overseas voting, voting discrimination, felon disfranchisement, Motor Voter Registration, and other issues related to voting and elections in the United States.
Resources for Teachers
C-SPAN Classroom
Free resources for teaching Civics and Government.
Elections…the American Way
Topics include requirements to be a presidential candidate, who can vote and how this has changed over time, the political party system, how presidents are elected and significant issues through time. From the American Memory Project of the Library of Congress.
Voting Outreach through Education
Election and voting education resources for kindergarten through 12th grade students. Includes games and electronic greeting cards, civics lessons, information about Vote America educational programs and opportunities, and lesson plans for parents and teachers. From the Washington Secretary of State.
Return to the main infoVote 2009 page
Last Updated: March 11, 2009