Tools
Election-Related Web Sites -
Issues
General
Economic
Choices ’08
Compilation of reports, commentary, and blog entries providing "analysis
of the business and economic impact of the 2008 [presidential] election." Some
of the topics discussed are health care, NAFTA, mortgages and real estate foreclosures,
investing, and taxes.
From the Nightly Business Report
Election ’08:
How Green is Your Candidate?
Interviews, fact sheets, and other materials on the 2008 presidential candidates’ energy
plans and environmental positions. The site includes details about voting records,
comments, and positions on greenhouse gas emissions, coal power plants, nuclear
power, fuel economy standards, and other energy and environmental topics.
From Grist Magazine, in conjunction with Outside magazine.
Health08.org
Information about health care issues addressed by candidates in the 2008 presidential
election. Site features news, video clips, analysis, poll results, and side-by-side
comparisons of the candidates' positions on health care issues: expansion
of public programs, insurance premium subsidies, cost containment, and financing.
Also includes links to campaign resources for each candidate.
From the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
CSIS: Decision 2008
Features a series of policy materials on topics of concern to the 2008 U.S.
presidential election, including a congressional dialogue series; video,
audio, and transcripts from a presidential candidates forum; and policy briefs
on topics such as world population change, the situation in Pakistan, Muslim
networks, and U.S. international water policy, all from a bipartisan, nonprofit
perspective.
From the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Popular Mechanics: Geek the Vote 2008
Coverage of the 2008 U.S. presidential election with an emphasis on science
and technology issues. You can find candidate proposals for issues such as
automotive technology, digital privacy, energy, climate change, firearms,
and infrastructure. The site also includes related election news.
From Popular Mechanics.
Religion and Politics
One Nation: Religion and Politics 2008
Coverage of religion in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, including interviews,
articles, and opinion pieces. Topics covered include candidates' faiths, religious
voters, faith-based initiatives, religion in campaign speeches, and more.
From the Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, produced by Thirteen/WNET New York.
Religion and Politics ’08
Public opinion, analysis, and other documents concerning religion in the 2008
presidential elections. Some of the issues discussed include candidate preferences
of various religious groups, evolution, abortion, and social-issue voters.
The site provides profiles of candidates, and candidate view comparisons
for issues such as church and state, faith-based initiatives, and stem cell
research.
From the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Polling
2008 Presidential Election–Roper Center Public Opinion Archives
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research is one of the world's leading
archives of social science data, specializing in data from surveys of public
opinion. The Roper Center preserves data from polls conducted by many leading
survey organizations, for researchers, students, and journalists. Public opinion
survey information on the 2008 presidential campaign is available under the
headings of Mood in America, Domestic, Foreign Policy, Economy and Historical
Trends.
From Roper Center, University of Connecticut.
Fundamentals of Polling
This tutorial is intended to offer a simplified glimpse into some of the fundamentals
of public opinion polling. Designed for the novice, it provides definitions,
examples, and explanations that serve to introduce you to the field of public
opinion research. Topics include sampling, total survey error and reading
tables. Site includes a glossary of polling terminology.
From the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, University of Connecticut.
Gallup: Election 2008
Collection of polling results related to the 2008 U.S. presidential election,
covering candidates, parties, issues, and voting. Survey results include
charts and graphs, and an explanation of survey methods. Also provides video
reports for selected polls.
From Gallup.
PollingReport.com
A bi-monthly independent survey of trends affecting elections, government,
and business. Updated whenever a new poll is released. Includes Gallup, Harris,
Yankelovich, Princeton Survey Research Associates, network news polls, more.
Main categories are Politics and Policy; Business / Economy; American Scene;
Insights; and National Barometer; with an extensive table of contents. Searchable.
From The Polling Report.
Rasumussen Reports: 2008 Presidential Election
Compilation of polls concerning the 2008 U.S. presidential election by Rasmussen,
an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication,
and distribution of public opinion polling information. Site includes a daily
presidential tracking poll, polling results for state primary elections,
and related polling material. Sampling error, number of people surveyed and
other details are in small type at the bottom of each poll summary. Additional
content and services are available for a fee.
From the Rasmussen Reports.
Third Parties
What is
the History of “Third parties” in
the United States?
An introduction to the types of third parties in U.S. government and politics,
featuring a table listing parties, third party presidential candidates, voting
percentages, and electoral votes. The Parties listed include Free Soil, Populist,
Progressive (Bull Moose), American Independent, Reform, and Green, compiled
by a company that publishes an online American government and politics textbook..
From ThisNation.com.
Voting Systems
Analysis of an Electronic Voting System
An expose on the vulnerabilities found in electronic voting software. The Johns
Hopkins Information Security Institute reports on security risks of the Diebold
voting system, and electronic voting systems in general since they found the
system's computer source code on the Internet. The site also has a link to
Diebold's rebuttal of the report and responses to the rebuttal.
Citizens for Approval Voting
Hosting organization promotes Approval Voting, described as “exactly
like the plurality system that is generally used in America today except for
one twist: Instead of voting for any single candidate, Approval Voting allows
you the option of voting for any number of candidates for a given office. The
candidate who collects the most votes wins.” Includes a discussion of
the potential benefits of this voting system.
Fair Vote: IRV America
Advocates instant runoff voting (IRV) for elections in the U.S., and offers
an analysis of IRV and plurality election systems, the cost of runoff elections,
and voter turnout issues. It also includes a FAQ about how IRV elections
work, links to related legislation, animated teaching materials, and news
about communities using IRV.
From the Center for Voting Democracy.
Vote: The Machinery of Democracy
This online museum exhibition "explores how ballots and voting systems
have evolved over the years as a response to political, social, and technological
change, transforming the ways in which Americans vote." Topics discussed
include paper ballots, the gear-and-lever voting machine, punch-card ballots,
the Florida ballot re-count in the 2000 presidential election, and related
ballot and voting issues. Includes a bibliography.
From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Additional Resources
For Journalists
Election 2008: A Special Resource for Journalists
Features opinion pieces on a variety of topics related to the 2008 U.S. elections, including issues, candidates, and voting. Meant to be a resource for journalists, promoting experts at the University of Southern California (USC), this site will also be useful for the general reader looking for academic viewpoints on the election. Includes coverage of California politics, and election-related archival material since 2004.
Poynteronline: Election Coverage
Coverage of elections in general and the 2008 presidential election in particular,
with an emphasis on resources for journalists covering the election. Features
background, reading suggestions, ideas for story angles, and other material
of interest to journalists and also to general audiences.
From the Poynter Institute.
For Students
Scoop08
A national student newspaper dedicated to providing in-depth and innovative
coverage of the 2008 presidential election. It features articles and editorials
in blog format by student correspondents from universities and high schools
across the country. Includes descriptions of beats and how to get involved
as a correspondent, and details about the contributors and advisors, who are
journalism professors and journalists from national media outlets.
Step-by-Step on the Campaign Trail: How the President gets elected
Brief information about the steps in the selection of presidential candidates
and the president, including caucuses, conventions, primaries, voting, and
the Electoral College.
From Fact Monster, a site designed for children by Infoplease.
Youth Radio: Election 2008
Follow the 2008 U.S. presidential election around the county, through the perspectives
of young people who are getting a close-up view of the process. Features
youth reporting on candidates, primaries, fundraisers, and other election
topics for radio, television, Web and print media.
From Youth Radio
For Teachers
Elections…the
American Way
Introduction to the electoral system in the United States. 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.
Countdown to Election 2008
Collection of teaching resources related to the 2008 presidential election.
Features lesson plans and classroom activities, printable documents on relevant
topics, campaign coverage from student reporters, games and puzzles, polls,
and background articles about voting, the Electoral College, and other election
themes. Includes promotions for commercial materials.
From Scholastic.
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 2008 page
Last Updated: July 24, 2008