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People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote -- a very different thing.   (Walter H. Judd, Rep. MN 1942-1962)

Starting Places

  • Get Registered!
    In most states you have to register to vote at least 30 days ahead of time. USA.gov has links to all the state elections offices with information on how to get registered.

  • Project Vote Smart
    A non-partisan site with information about candidates for federal and state offices. All you need to know to get started is your zip code. Check out their "2008 Voter's Self Defense Manual".

  • Election 2008 from C-Span
    Another great non-partisan site to get you started.

  • CQPolitics
    Long known for its objective reporting, Congressional Quarterly will give you everything you need to follow the fall campaigns.

Fact Checking

  • PolitiFact
    "Sorting out the truth in politics". A project of the St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly.

  • FactCheck.org
    From the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Factcheck.org is "a non-partisan, nonprofit, "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics".

The Electoral College

Political Parties

Campaign Finance

  • Federal Election Commission
    "In 1975, Congress created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) — the statute that governs the financing of federal elections. The duties of the FEC, which is an independent regulatory agency, are to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of Presidential elections."

  • OpenSecrets.org
    "Your guide to the money in elections."

  • CampaignMoney.com
    "The purpose of campaignmoney.com, a non-partisan Web site, is to make available in the easiest way possible the names of financial donors to federal political campaigns. These records are a matter of public record provided by the Federal Election Commission. There is no charge for perusing the lists on campaignmoney.com".

  • Follow the Money
    "The National Institute on Money in State Politics is the only non-partisan, nonprofit organization revealing the influence of campaign money on state-level elections and public policy in all 50 states."

Polls and Statistics

  • Census Bureau : Voting and Registration
    "This government site provides voting and registration statistics from population surveys conducted by the Census Bureau, along with population estimates, historical time-series data, and research reports." [College & Research Library News, 69 (1), p.18]

  • American National Election Studies (ANES)
    "ANES has been collecting data about elections since 1948, creating a vast series of data and research reports about political participation and electoral behavior that are available through the site." [College & Research Library News, 69 (1), p.19-20]

  • PresidentPolls2008.com
    Likely one of the most comprehensive list of links to Election 2008 polls.

  • PollingReport.com : election 2008
    "An independent, non-partisan resource on trends in American public opinion."

  • ElectoralVote.com
    "Welcome to Electoral Vote Predictor, which tracks political polls for federal elections."

  • blogspot.com : 2008 Election Polls

  • Election 2008 Polls
    This Web site includes links for many different polling sites.

  • Election projection : 2008 Edition
    "Projecting the upcoming elections - and commenting on things along the way" [blog and polls]

  • Pollster
    "Pollster tracks, aggregates, and analyzes political polls (including presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial races). The site provides links to other polling and survey research groups and resources, and has a very helpful FAQ page that explains how political polling is done. [College & Research Library News, 69 (1), p.20]

Mass Media Web Sites

Foreign Media Web Sites

Special Interest Web Sites

  • Calculate Taxes under the McCain and Obama Tax Plans
    Featured in a Newsweek article, this web site allows you to input information on your income (anonymously) and calculate what your taxes would be under each of the candidates' proposed plans.

  • ColorsNW Election Coverage 2008
    "ColorsNW's mission is to illuminate issues relevant to communities of color through high-quality, enlightening and thought-provoking content. Integrity, professionalism and dedication to open and balanced dialogues will be our guides. Through education and exposure we will foster pride and mutual respect among people of all cultures and ethnicities."

  • Foreign Policy Association : Election 2008
    "...[T]he Foreign Policy Association's Forum for the 2008 Presidential Election. This blog will follow developments leading up to the November contest, focusing specifically on foreign policy and international affairs issues."

  • USAVotes (Voice of America)
    VOA is a not-for-profit broadcasting organization run by the U.S. Government. The site discusses key election issues such as foreign policy, Iraq, Iran, etc. in a non-partisan way.

  • TechPresident
    "This group blog, a project of the Personal Democracy Forum, focuses on how the Web is being used by presidential campaigns, and how the read-write, interactive nature of the Web allows the public to create content that becomes part of the campaign conversation." [College & Research Library News, 69 (1), p.19]

  • CampusPolitico
    The Politico's companion Web site, CampusPolitico "focuses on college-age voters, and includes links to social networking sites and downloadable widgets that provide updated blog postings from Politico writers." [College & Research Library News, 69 (1), p.18]

  • The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
    "The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is one of the nation's premier research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses exclusively on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. The Joint Center's current research and analyses address critical issues in three key areas: political participation; economic advancement; and health policy."

  • Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP)
    "The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) is a university-based research, education and public service center. Its mission is to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women's participation in politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life."

  • Election 2008
    From the Council on Foreign Relations, "a nonpartisan resource for information and analysis". Includes links to podcasts, expert testimony before Congress, and publications by experts in fields related to foreign relations.

  • Electoral Geography 2.0 : Mapping Politics
    Electoral geography [...] studies regularities and patterns of election results. [...] Electoral geography is more than just maps and data; it's also a socio-political analysis of voting trends in the world's 192 countries.

For Kids (and Teachers)

Just for Fun

If you start taking it all too seriously -- try these.

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Contact

Subject Specialist

Helen M. Sheehy
814-863-1347

Social Sciences Library
814-865-4861
AIM: socscilib

or your Commonwealth Campus Library



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