Elections     [Text-only version for printing]     [back to graphical version]    
We have tried to give you a range of Web sites that deal with different aspects of the election - from political parties, to campaign finance, to media coverage, and more.  These links have been researched, evaluated, and annotated by Rio Hondo College Librarians.

Web Site Links

        State Elections    

League of Women Voters     http://ca.lwv.org
The League of Women Voters of California is a nonprofit organization of women and men that neither supports nor opposes candidates or political parties.  The site provides voter information and citizen education such as Easy Voter Guides in multiple languages.

Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder     http://lavote.net/VOTER/Voter_registration.cfm
Election calendar, how and where to register and registration deadlines are provided.

Official Voter Information Guide     http://voterguide.ss.ca.gov/
Online version of the printed guide that is sent in the mail.  The guide has information about voting and the propositions.  The voter guide also contains candidate statements.  The propositions are listed numerically.  Click on a proposition, and click on arguments and rebuttals for pro and con arguments. 

Secretary of State Election Site     http://www.ss.ca.gov
Online version of printed guide sent in the mail to registered voters and provides campaign financial disclosures for campaign funding.

        Federal Elections    

Presidential Election

Major Party Candidates

Democratic Party :
 

Democratic National Committee     http://www.democrats.org/index.html
This is the DNC's Web site, with headlines and links to the party platform, events, jobs, and news.  Blog links, national local and community links are provided.

Republican Party :
      

Republican National Committee     http://www.gop.com/
 

This is the 'Grand Old Party's' (GOP) Web site, featuring information on issues, individuals and party history, access to blogs and campaign party contacts.

Third party/Independent Candidates

Project Vote Smart     http://www.votesmart.org/election_president.php
Scroll down for list of presidential candidates, including third party/independents.

OR

On the Issues     http://www.issues2000.org/default.htm

 

        Political Information    

2008 Election ProCon.org     http://www.electionprocon.org/
ProCon.org is a  (c)(3) nonprofit public charity that has no government affiliations of any kind.  Complete information on all candidates and issues.  Includes al party candidates as well as candidates who have withdrawn from the race.

CNN Election Center 2008      http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/
Up to date news on primaries and delegates as well as current candidate information.

Congress.org     http://www.congress.org/election/home/
Congress.org is a service of Capitol Advantage and Knowledge LLC, private nonpartisan companies.  Enter your zip code to get information on local candidates, positions, and issues, and ballot measures.

FactCheck.org     http://www.factcheck.org
"We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.  We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases."

OpenSecrets.org     http://www.opensecrets.org/
Sponsored by the Center for Responsive Politics - a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics, and its effect on elections and public policy.

PACRONYMS     http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/pacronyms/pacronyms.shtml
The Federal Election Commission prepared "this alphabetical list of acronyms, abbreviations, initials, and common names of federal political action committees (PACs) was prepared to help researchers readily identify committees when their full names are not disclosed on campaign finance reports."

Political Information     http://www.politicalinformation.com/
This search engine keeps tabs on over 5,000 Web sites covering politics and policy, with links to campaigns, issues, parties and more that are very current.

Politics1.com     http://www.politics1.com/
A current resource of comprehensive links to all the presidential, gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and Congressional candidates and political parties. This is an award winning nonpartisan site that includes a calendar of primaries and their results, links to sites on state races, and much more. It also provides links to the sites of many interest groups with contrasting positions on issue such as taxes, gun control, and free speech.

RealClearPolitics Poll Averages     http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/

This nonpartisan Website offers up to date links to all major polls conducted for 2008 election candidates, as well as presidential polls and congressional approval polls.

Smart Voter     http://www.smartvoter.org/

Nonpartisan election information offered by the League of Women Voters.  This excellent site allows individuals to find election information for their specific location.  Also presents statewide issues and will be updated regularly.

Online Databases (Rio Hondo Students only)

CQ Researcher     http://library2.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
Published by CD Press, a division of Congressional Quarterly.  Contains reports on many current topics in the news.  Search under 'politics' or 'elections' or 'presidential elections' to find a listing of reports currently available in the database.

Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context     http://find.galegroup.com/ovrc/start.do?prodId=OVRC&userGroupName=cclc_rio
A one-stop source for information on today's hottest social issues.  Features viewpoint articles, topic overviews, full-text magazine, academic journal, and newspaper articles, primary source documents, statistics, images and podcasts, and links to Websites.

Pro and Con     http://www.pro-and-con.org/
Publishes by the Congressional Digest Corporation.  Indexes state and federal court debates as well as the Congressional Digest.  Click on 'Pro and Con' on left of the screen, then browse reports of debates under 'Government and Politics' or search by 'elections' or another topic in the search field.

Books    
The following books can be located in the Rio Hondo College Library.

Reference Books
Non-circulating:

California government and politics annual
Call number: Ref JK8701.C32 2004-05

Elections A to Z (CQ's American government A to Z series)
Call number: Ref JK1976.M57 2008

Voting in America : a reference handbook (Contemporary world issues)
Call number: Ref JK1976.D53 2004

Suggested Subject Headings
For additional titles on this topic at Rio Hondo, click on the following Library of Congress subject headings:

Elections

State governments--United States

United States--Politics and government

Voting


 Researched and evaluated by:
J. Coe, Librarian 4/2004
update: T. Shabelnik, Librarian 3/2010

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