Tools
Election-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.
Elections
How Do Caucuses Work?
This essay explains how caucuses work, and outlines the differences between
presidential primaries and caucuses, which both are "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. Also includes links to further information
about the U.S. presidential election system.
From HowStuffWorks.
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.
Includes related links.
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 these entities to enforce the law. Provides an overview of
the workings of the Federal Election Commission–enforcement, rulemaking,
advisory opinions, and litigation, and includes documents about specific
actions of the commission.
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" is
a frequently updated, concise overview of current electoral issues. It also
has an "online library" with many articles on topics such as proportional
representation and election reform. It includes a robust list of related
links compiled by the Center, a nonprofit organization "dedicated to
fair elections where every vote counts and all voters are represented."
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, links to local election officials and voting assistance
officers, toll-free numbers from about five dozen countries to FVAP offices
in the U.S., sate-by-state voting instructions, and tips for communication
with elected officials.
Global Initiative to Enfranchise People with Disabilities
An international clearinghouse for 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, or current public policy
issues such as election reform, campaign finance reform and health care.
Includes up-to-date information, and tools to help get involved in the democratic
process at the federal, state and local levels.
Overseas Vote Foundation
The Overseas Vote Foundation (OVF) 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. The site includes information about
registering to vote and kits for organizing voter registration drives, links
to information about selected issues, and a blog.
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 also produced every other year in anticipation of the elections.
The site also has data back to 1964 by race, Hispanic origin, sex, age, region,
educational attainment, and labor force.
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. Includes
background materials, information for election officials and voters, documents
on voting system certification, reports, and related resources. Some background
documents are also 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. Examples are included.
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. The site also provides links to applicable laws.
From the Voting Section, an office within the Civil Rights Division at the
Department of Justice charged with enforcement of federal voting right statues.
Candidate Comparisions
Election 2008: Vote by Issue Quiz
This quiz helps you learn about the 2008 presidential candidates through their
platforms, not their personalities. The site features some of the issues
that have gained traction this campaign season. It also includes an "Election
Issues" section with candidates' statements about health care, immigration,
energy, Iraq, abortion, and other issues.
From WBUR and the Online NewsHour.
The U.S. Congress Votes Database
Records every vote in the United States Congress since the 102nd Congress in
1991. Browse votes by member, or by topics such as party, state, region, "boomer
status," gender, missed votes, and for specific types of votes, such
as impeachments, nominations, and treaties. Offers an RSS feed of recent
Congressional votes.
From the Washington Post.
Election 08 Presidential
Election – Yahoo News
News and analysis about the 2008 presidential election, including material
about candidates, links to stories, photos, video and audio clips, and related
Web sites. Users can build their own debate by selecting video clips from
different candidates on topics such as Iraq, health care, and education.
Also includes fundraising data, and a summary of where each candidate stands
on selected issues.
From Yahoo News.
Face the Candidates on
YouTube: You Choose ’08
A compilation of videos featuring the 2008 U.S. presidential election candidates.
Browse by candidate and by issues such as health care, energy, and the economy.
It also includes videos of user-submitted ideas, opinions, and questions
for the candidates.
Map the Candidates
The politically obsessed can track 2008 presidential candidate schedules and
appearances back to July 2007. Configure custom views using timeline sliders,
location zoom, selection of specific candidates. Site Includes a news feed,
videos, and instructions for using the application.
From the online magazine Slate.
Politics – 2008
Primary Results
Provides primary results for all Democratic and Republican candidates on a
state-by-state basis along with a running delegate count. Results are based
on NBC News projections and unofficial returns.
From MSNBC News
Return to the main infoVote 2008 page
Last Updated: July 25, 2008