Election Process

• Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids (GPO)
  • Describes federal government for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, and teachers/parents
  • Describes the nation, historic documents, branches of government, national v. state authority, how laws are made, elections, and citizenship
  • Pleasing graphics, a glossary, games and activities
  • Includes list of federal government web sites for children

• Center for Voting and Democracy
  • Think tank providing background information on election issues
  • Redistricting, proportion representation, instant runoff issues, and voter turnout

• CQ Voting and Elections Collection (UMich Only)
  • Use main screen to search for statewide election results for President and Congress, (primary, general and caucus), 1789 to present
  • Main screen includes articles and selected documents on the election process and political parties, browsable within category or searchable by keyword (e.g. internet voting)
  • Side frame permits manipulation of party control and party split data
  • Export/download on side frame provides Excel spreadsheets of historic Presidential, Gubernatorial and Congressional elections by state and county or Congressional District; equivalent of paper America Votes

• Elections 2008 (State Dept. Foreign Press Center)
  • Comprehensive web links and articles on the election process: primaries, caucuses, issues, electoral college, public opinion polls

• United States Electoral College (NARA)
  • Electoral college laws and procedures
  • State-by-state electoral college votes, 1789-2004
  • Number of state electoral votes for 2008

Comprehensive Election Web Sites

• Congress.org
  • Presidential Candidate Guide provides brief biographies of the main party candidates and links to their web sites
    • Includes selective ISSUE positions on defense, education, environment, health care, immigration, Social Security
  • Includes links to 2008 Congressional and state legislative races, as well as voter registration information, by state
  • Also ranks the current most powerful members of Congress

• Election Center 2008 (CNN)
  • Compares Presidential candidates on the issues, campaign finances; well-known SUPPORTERS and the most current public opinion polls
  • Election calendar and public opinion polls
  • Text of YouTube Debates
  • Quotes from key blogs
  • Will track primary election results and delegate totals

• Elections 2008 (Reader's Digest)
  • Interviews with the major candidates
  • Trivia questionnaire on the candidates
  • "Grade the Candidates" public opinion poll for web site users

• Elections 2008
  • "Open directory" of web sites pertaining to 2008 elections
  • Separate sections on Presidential, Congressional, and state elections
  • As of October 31, 2007, the material is a mixture of the 2004 and 2008 elections

• Elections (Vanderbilt)
  • Well-organized links to election web sites since 2000
  • Includes candidates, parties, campaign finances, and voter registration

• The Green Papers
  • State-by-state coverage of the 2008 elections
  • For each state includes the number of positions to be elected, state primary and general election dates with poll times, candidates for federal and state executive offices, the existence of term limits
  • Detailed information on the political party Presidential nominating process, including primaries and caucues, soft v. hard votes

• Politics 1 (Politics 1)
  • Pictures and biographies of declared and undeclared presidential candidates for 2008
  • Republican, Democrat, and third party, as well as independents
  • State-by-state listing of gubernatorial and Congressional candidates and their web sites as information becomes available

• Project Vote Smart
  • Biographies, LOBBY GROUP ratings, CAMPAIGN RECEIPTS by Political Action Committee subject groupings
  • Candidate answers to the National Political Awareness Test, a questionnaire on ISSUES in the election
  • Congress, Governors, President, and State Legislatures
  • As of 10-31-07, Presidential material available but little state and Congressional data

• New York Times Election Guide
  • Biographies and blogs of Presidential candidates as well as their stands on the issues (abortion, climate change, health care, immigration, Iran and Iraq
  • Search by zip code for donors providing over $200
  • Presidential candidate schedules
  • Democratic and Republican primary schedules by date

• Rhodes Cook Letter (UMich Only)
  • Journal with election data and charts on Presidential, Congressional and gubernatorial races
  • Includes public opinion polls, delegate counts, and state initiatives on various issues (e.g. gay marriage ban)

• Voting and Elections (USA.gov)
  • FAQs, particularly about campaign regulations, financing, and volunteering
  • Links to the electoral college
  • Children's materials on the election process

• Washington Post Elections
  • Presidential and Congressional election news stories
  • Unique information for each of the Presidential candidates includes upcoming campaign schedule, top campaign donors, links to facebook, major campaign contributors, endorsements from state legislators
  • Typically will include political ADVERTISEMENTS which have aired and transcripts of Presidential DEBATES
  • Typically will handicap Congressional and Senatorial races using the CQ Risk Ratings

Congressional Candidates

• Candidate Profiles (Center for Responsive Politics)
  • List of Congressional District and Senatorial races by state
  • Lists CAMPAIGN FINANCES received and spent and campaign contributions by interest sector
  • Includes top contributors
  • As of 12-19-07, you must access the 2006 election data by state; then choose the 2008 data from the pulldown menu at the top of the page

• Congress.org
  • State-by-state information on voter registration and upcoming elections in 2007 only
  • Includes links to 2008 Congressional and state legislative races by state

• Congressional and Gubernatorial Candidates: 2008 (UMich)
  • Spreadsheet of 2007 Governors and 110th Congressional incumbents indicating re-election or retirement plans
  • The Gubernatorial and Senate worksheets also list those not up for re-election in 2008
  • Details on individual races will be added as state primaries are held; general election results appear after 11-4-08

• Congressional District Boundaries
  • American Factfinder
    • Draw Congressional District boundary maps by first going to Reference Maps
    • Then choose 110th boundaries and state
    • You will need to zoom in to 185 miles across to see district boundaries
  • Congressional District Maps: 110th Congress (Chris Chubb)
    • Choose name of state; then either pan or choose city or district number to view
    • Map displays county and city names in a district as well as the representative
    • Coloring is by political party of current office holder
  • Zip to It (Juan Cabanela)
    • Put in five or nine digit zip code to determine senators and representatives for the 110th Congress; districts for the 111th Congress will be the same

• Congresspedia
  • Wiki on Congressional elections by state for 2008
  • Recruiting volunteers to edit sections as of January 2008

• CQ Politics
  • Section on House, Senate and Gubernatorial races to watch in 2008
  • Describes the political situation in each of the covered districts

• Google Web Directory: U.S. Elections
  • Annotated links to quality web sites on U.S. elections, campaign finance, former candidates, political humor
  • 1996-2006 elections
  • As of 11/1/07, most 2008 material on the Presidential election

• Politics1.com
  • Web links to Congressional and state-wide candidates
  • No links to state legislative candidates

• Project Vote Smart
  • Biographies, LOBBY GROUP ratings, CAMPAIGN RECEIPTS by Political Action Committee subject groupings
  • Candidate answers to the National Political Awareness Test, a questionnaire on ISSUES in the election
  • Congress, Governors, President, and State Legislatures
  • As of 11/1/07, coverage limited to President

• State Primaries (Foreign Assistance Voters Guide)
  • List of state-level primaries by state and date
  • Includes candidates for governor and Congress

• Washington Post Elections
  • As of 11/1/07, focused on 2008 presidential election
  • Typically:
    • Presidential and Congressional election news stories
    • Search for political ADVERTISEMENTS which have aired and transcripts of Presidential DEBATES
    • Handicap Congressional and Senatorial races using the CQ Risk Ratings

Balance of Power: Potential Changes

• Congressional and Gubernatorial Candidates: 2008 (UMich)
  • Spreadsheet of 2007 Governors and 110th Congressional incumbents indicating re-election or retirement plans
  • The Gubernatorial and Senate worksheets also list those not up for re-election in 2008
  • Details on individual races will be added as state primaries are held; general election results appear after 11-4-08
  • Spreadsheets can be filtered and manipulated to show changes in the balance of power

• CQ Politics
  • Section on House, Senate and Gubernatorial races to watch in 2008
  • Describes the political situation in each of the covered districts

• National Journal Campaigns (UMich and Subscribing Libraries Only)
  • National Journal focuses on the politics of the Executive Branch with some reference to current legislation
  • Its campaigns segment includes public opinion polls, political ads, and projected balance of power changes

Incumbents

• Almanac of American Politics (UMich Only)
  • Biennial biographical directory of Members of Congress
  • Lengthy information about the politics of the Congressional District
  • Brief CAMPAIGN FINANCES, LOBBY GROUP ratings, and key roll call VOTES
  • Web version back to 1998
  • Paper copy in Documents Center JK 1012 .A44 with current in Graduate Library Stacks

• Clerk of the House
  • Historical data includes national electoral college results since the 1st Congress, Presidential and Senatorial election results by state and House by district since 1920
  • Data on the political divisions in Congress since the 34th Congress

• CQ Congress Collection (UMich Only)
  • Member search provides detailed political biographies, brief election statistics, and LOBBY GROUP ratings since the 97th Congress
  • Additional interactive features: analyze VOTING ALIGNMENTS between members, their state delegations, and PARTY UNITY
  • Analyze lobby group ratings of individuals Members and groups of Members

• Politics in America (UMich Only)
  • Profile section includes biographical, campaign finance, district, and election information; bills introduced, current speeches, roll call votes for members of the 110th Congress
  • Web version (CQ Congress Collection) not labelled as printed title but includes the same information
  • Doc.Cen. JK 1012 .A44

• Congress.org
  • Lists major Presidential candidates and provides candidate contact information, biographies, and voting information. Some biographies include the candidates positions on on Civilian Reserve, DC representation, economy, education, environment, job creation, health care, national security, and tax policy
  • State-by-state information on voter registration and upcoming elections
  • Includes some links to Congressional and state legislative races by state

• CQ Congress Collection (UMich Only)
  • Information for Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Gravel, Hunter, Kucinich, McCain, Obama, Paul, Richardson, Tancredo, Thompson
  • Member search provides detailed political biographies, brief election statistics, and LOBBY GROUP ratings since the 97th Congress
  • Additional interactive features: analyze VOTING ALIGNMENTS between members, their state delegations, and PARTY UNITY
  • Analyze lobby group ratings of individuals Members and groups of Members

• FactCheck (Univ of Pennsylvania)
  • Analyzes claims made by politicians in the news to determine their accuracy
  • New entries several times per week

• How to Run for the Presidency
  • Constitutional Qualifications (Cornell Law School)
  • Election 2004: How to Run for President (Scholastic Magazine)
    • Web site for teachers to explain the election process
    • Focused on publicity and party affiliation
  • How to Run for President in Massachusetts
    • Gives specific procedures for getting one's name on the primary and general election ballot
  • How to Run in All States
    • See State Secretaries of State for a list of web sites with filing information

    • See the Federal Voters' Assistance Guide for a list of state primaries by date
    • See the Federal Election Commission for federal campaign finance guidelines
    • See Politics 1 for a list of existing party and non-party candidates

• New York Times Election Guide
  • Biographies and blogs of Presidential candidates as well as their stands on the issues (abortion, climate change, health care, immigration, Iran and Iraq
  • Search by zip code for donors providing over $200
  • Presidential candidate schedules
  • Democratic and Republican primary schedules by date

• On the Issues
  • Extensive web site analyzing positions of all Presidential candidates as well as incumbent governors, senators and House members on a breaktaking variety of campaign issues
  • Relies on their voting records but also includes position statements

• Presidency 2008 (Politics 1)
  • Pictures and biographies of declared and undeclared presidential candidates
  • Republican, Democrat, and third party, as well as independents
  • Extensive links to positive and negative G.W. Bush web sites
  • Additional annotated to links to presidential debates and public opinion polls
  • The premier web site early in the 2004 campaign

• Project Vote Smart
  • Biographies, LOBBY GROUP ratings, CAMPAIGN RECEIPTS by Political Action Committee subject groupings
  • Candidate answers to the National Political Awareness Test, a questionnaire on ISSUES in the election
  • Congress, Governors, President, and State Legislatures
  • Excellent list of independent candidates

• Washington Post Elections
  • Presidential and Congressional election news stories
  • Unique information for each of the Presidential candidates includes upcoming campaign schedule, top campaign donors, links to facebook, major campaign contributors, endorsements from state legislators
  • Typically will include political ADVERTISEMENTS which have aired and transcripts of Presidential DEBATES

• What Makes A Good President (American Psychological Association)
  • Press release of presentation made at the American Psychological Association Convention on August 5, 2000
  • Identifies stubbornness and disagreeableness as the two most important personal characteristics for great presidents
  • Classifies past U.S. presidents into eight personality types

Democratic

• BARACK OBAMA - PRESIDENT
  • Web Site
  • Acceptance Speech (August 28, 2008)
  • Project Vote Smart Profile

• JOE BIDEN - VICE PRESIDENT
  • Project Vote Smart Profile

Republican

• JOHN MCCAIN - PRESIDENT
  • Web Site
  • Project Vote Smart Profile

• SARAH PALIN - VICE PRESIDENT
  • Project Vote Smart Profile

Presidential Candidate Matching

• Candidate Match (VA Joe)
  • Record your opinion on 23 specific issues and rank them in importance to determine your ideal Presidential candidate

• Glass Booth
  • Choose the importance of several issues first and then answer a range of support/oppose questions on each of them
  • Determine your top three candidates

• Presidential Match Game (USA Today)
  • Answer 11 questions to find your best Presidential candidate match

• Select a Candidate (WQAD - Iowa)
  • Answer eleven questions and rank the answer in importance
  • Determine which Presidential candidate prior to the Iowa caucuses best matches your political opinion

• Select Smart
  • Select Presidential Candidate based on answers to 27 questions and their ranking in importance

• Votehelp.org
  • VoteHelp is a nonpartisan candidate calculator that tracks the main politicians' stands on important issues

Endorsements

• Election Center 2008 (CNN)
  • Compares Presidential candidates on the issues, campaign finances; well-known SUPPORTERS and the most current public opinion polls found under candidate's biography

• Endorsements Not Yet Made (The Hill)
  • Presidential endorsements by groups and celebrities that have not been made as of December 6, 2007

• Washington Post Elections
  • Includes state legislator endorsements of Presidential candidates

Presidential Primaries and Caucuses

• The Green Papers
  • Arranged state-by-state
  • Each state page has detailed information on the political party Presidential nominating process, including primaries and caucuses, soft v. hard votes

• New York Times Election Guide
  • Presidential candidate schedules
  • Democratic and Republican primary schedules by date

• Path to the Presidency (CNN)
  • Includes a US map of primaries by month.
  • Provides specific primary/caucus dates for each state (and in some cases each party of each state)
  • Also includes a general overview of the election cycle, the party conventions, and other pertinent information on the election process

• Presidential Primaries (Natl Assoc of Secretaries of State)
  • List of presidential primaries and caucuses arranged by date
  • Proposal to rotate presidential primaries by region

• State Presidential Primary and Caucus Dates (Project Vote Smart)
  • Chart listing name of state and both the Democratic and Republican primaries and caucuses
  • Related link on describes How the Primary and Caucus System Works

• Exit Polls (MSNBC) [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21660890/]
  • Exit polls conducted by Edison as part of pooled news election coverage
  • Questions of voters break presidential choices by state and then factors such as sex, race, age, education, and income of the voter

• Primary and Caucus Delegate Counts (CNN)
  • Running count of delegates to the Democratic and Republican convention committed to a candidate
  • May be sorted by candidate, state, date

State	Biden Withdrew	Clinton	Dodd Withdrew	Edwards Withdrew	Gravel Became Libertarian	Kucinich Withdrew	OBAMA Presumptive Nominee	Richardson Withdrew
IA 1-3-08	01%	29%		30%			38%	02%
NH 1-8-08	NR	39%	NR	17%		01%	37%	05%
MI 1-15-08	NR	55%	01% NR	NR	0%	04%	NR	NR
	UNCOMMITTED=40%; generally thought to be votes for Edwards and Obama. Democratic Party decided on 5-31-08 to seat Michigan's full delegation but award 1/2 vote apiece due to early primary with 54% for Clinton and 46% for Obama
NV 1-19-08		51%		04%			45%
SC 1-26-08		27%		18%			55%
FL 1-29-08		50%		14%		01%	33%
	Democratic Party Rules Committee decided to seat full Florida delegation with 1/2 vote apiece due to early primary.
AL 2-5-08		42%		01%			56%
AK 2-5-08		25%					74%
AZ 2-5-08		51%		05%			42%
AR 2-5-08		69%		02%			27%
CA 2-5-08		52%		04%			42%
CO 2-5-08		32%					67%
CN 2-5-08		47%		01%			51%
DE 2-5-08	03%	42%		01%			51%
GA 2-5-08		31%		02%			66%
ID 2-5-08		17%		01%			80%
IL 2-5-08		33%		02%			64%
KS 2-5-08		26%					74%
MA 2-5-08		56%		02%			41%
MN 2-5-08		32%					67%
MO 2-5-08		48%		02%			49%
NJ 2-5-08		54%		01%			44%
NM 2-5-08		49%		02%			48%	01%
NY 2-5-08		57%		01%			40%
ND 2-5-08		37%		01%			67%
OK 2-5-08		55%		10%			31%
TN 2-5-08		54%		04%			41%
UT 2-5-08		39%		03%			57%
LA 2-9-08		36%					57%
NE 2-9-08		32%					68%
WA Caucus 2-09-08		31%					68%
ME 2-10-08		40%					59%
DC 2-12-08		24%					75%
MD 2-12-08		36%					60%
VA 2-12-08		35%					64%
HI 2-19-08		24%					76%
WA Primary 2-19-08		47%					50%
WI 2-19-08		41%					58%
OH 3-4-08		54%					44%
RI 3-4-08		58%					40%
TX Primary 3-4-08		51%					47%
TX Caucus 3-4-08		44%					56%
VT 3-4-08		39%					59%
WY 3-8-08		38%					61%
MS 3-11-08		37%					61%
PA 4-22-08		55%					45%
GU 5-3-08		50%					50% [won by 7 votes]
IN 5-6-08		51%					49%
NC 5-6-08		42%					56%
WV 5-13-08		67%					26%
KY 5-20-08		65%					30%
OR 5-20-08		42%					58%
PR 6-1-08		68%					32%
MT 6-3-08		41%					56%
SD 6-3-08		55%					45%

State	Giuliani Withdrew	Huckabee Withdrew	Hunter Withdrew	Keyes	MCCAIN Presumptive Nominee	Paul	Romney Withdrew	Thompson Withdrew
IA 1-3-08	03%	34%		NR	13%	10%	25%	13%
WY 1-5-08				09%			73%	18%
	Republican Party to seat one half of delegates due to violation of primary scheduling rules
NH 1-8-08	09%	11%			37%	08%	32%	01%
	Republican Party to seat one half of delegates due to violation of primary scheduling rules
MI 1-15-08	03%	16%	0%	0%	30%	06%	39%	04%
	UNCOMMITTED=2%. Republican Party to seat one half of delegates due to violation of primary scheduling rules
NV 1-19-08	04%	08%	02%		13%	13%	51%	08%
SC 1-19-08	02%	30%			33%	04%	15%	16%
	Republican Party to seat one half of delegates due to violation of primary scheduling rules
FL 1-29-08	15%	13%			36%	03%	31%	01%
	Republican Party to seat one half of delegates due to violation of primary scheduling rules
ME 2-1-08		06%			21%	19%	52%
AL 2-5-08		41%			37%	03%	18%
AK 2-5-08		22%			16%	17%	44%
AZ 2-5-08	03%	09%			47%	04%	34%
AR 2-5-08		60%			20%	05%	13%
CA 2-5-08	05%	12%			42%	04%	34%
CO 2-5-08		13%			19%	08%	59%
CN 2-5-08	02%	07%			52%	04%	33%
DE 2-5-08	02%	15%			45%	04%	33%
GA 2-5-08	01%	34%			32%	03%	30%
IL 2-5-08	01%	16%			47%	05%	29%
KS 2-5-08		60%			24%	11%	03%
MA 2-5-08	01%	04%			41%	03%	51%
MN 2-5-08		20%%			22%	16%	41%
MO 2-5-08	01%	32%			33%	04%	29%
NJ 2-5-08	03%	08%			55%	05%	28%
NY 2-5-08	03%	11%			51%	06%	28%
ND 2-5-08		20%			23%	21%	36%
OK 2-5-08	01%	33%			37%	03%	25%
TN 2-5-08	01%	34%			32%	06%	24%	03%
UT 2-5-08		01%			05%	03%	90%
KS 2-9-08		60%			24%	11%	03%
LA 2-9-08		43%			42%	05%	06%
WA Caucus 2-09-08		24%			26%	22%	15%
ME 2-10-08		06%			21%	19%	52%
DC 2-12-08		17%			68%	08%	06%
MD 2-12-08		29%			55%	06%	06%
VA 2-12-08		41%			50%	05%	04%
WA Primary 2-19-08		22%			49%	07%	20%
WI 2-19-08		37%			55%	05%	02%
OH 3-4-08		31%			60%	05%
RI 3-4-08		22%			65%	07%
TX 3-4-08		38%			51%	05%
VT 3-4-08		14%			72%	07%