ballot box Politics & Elections See also:
GOVERNMENT
LAWS
NEWS/MEDIA
Homework: CURRENT EVENTS
Homework: HISTORY

Ebsco Points of View Reference Center on controversial subjects TOPICsearch current events articles

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. This page was last revised in June 2013 and is no longer being updated.
For updated links related to this topic, go to
Useful Websites: GOVERNMENT & LAW.


TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, 2013 is ELECTION DAY

South Plainfield Municipal Clerk's Office & South Plainfield Voter Info
N.J. Election Info & N.J. Voter Information : Where to Vote
N.J. Voter Info (League of Women Voters of NJ)
Fact Check & Politifact Truth-O-Meter
C-Span Election Guide & Project Vote-Smart

local resource = State/Local resource

C-Span - Live video coverage of U.S. Congressional proceedings, as well as a wide diversity of views and forums on public policy issues. Also offers Political News Resources, a directory of links to 'useful newspaper political sections and independent state-based political web sites' across the U.S., and state-by-state Elections Guide (Private, non-profit company; created by the cable television industry).

Congress.org - Offers voters a quick way to keep track of recent & upcoming Congressional votes via email subscription. (Part of CQ Roll Call; Publisher : Economist Group)

Congress Votes Database - Lets you browse every vote in the U.S. Congress since 1991. (Washington Post; site includes advertisements)

CQ Roll Call: Daily Briefing - The latest news from around Washington, with analysis by editor David Hawkings. (The Economist Group, publisher of The Economist and other publications)

Election Line - A non-partisan, non-advocacy website providing up-to-the-minute news and analysis on election issues such as accessibility, voting machines, electronic voting, voter fraud, absentee ballots, etc. (University of Minnesota)

Fact Check audio - Do you ever find yourself hopelessly confused by conflicting or ambiguous statements from politicians, special interest groups, and partisan commentators? Fact Check is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 'consumer advocate' for voters which monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. A related site, FlackCheck.org video 'uses parody and humor to debunk false political advertising, poke fun at extreme language, and hold the media accountable for their reporting on political campaigns.' (Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania). See also Politifact Truth-O-Meter (St. Petersburg [FL] Times / Congressional Quarterly).

First Amendment Center audiovideo - News, research, analysis, and resources related to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech, press, and religion, and freedom to assemble and petition (Vanderbilt University). See also Conversations on the Constitution (American Bar Association) and Constitution Daily [UPDATED LINK!] (National Constitution Center, Philadephia).

Follow the Money - Data on campaign money on state-level elections and public policy in all 50 states. (National Institute on Money in State Politics). For more details on the influence of money in politics at the state and national level, see Opensecrets.org, below.

Grasscatcher - Current news on all kinds of government policy issues, mostly at the state level, including economy, education, health care, homeland security, and the environment. You can browse by state or by subject (National Conference of State Legislatures). See also Stateline, below. For news and information about local/city government, see N.J. Conference of Mayors and U.S. Conference of Mayors.

local resource League of Women Voters of N.J. - Nonpartisan guide to voting in New Jersey, including information on how to register and who is eligible, primary and election dates, upcoming election information, and more. See also New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, N.J. Division of Elections (below), and League of Women Voters of the U.S., which also hosts the Vote 411 election information site.

MiddleClass.org - Reports on bills that would have a significant impact (positive or negative) on the current and aspiring middle class. (Drum Major Institute for Public Policy)

Net Democracy Guide - Information to help bloggers and other citizen activists understand campaign finance rules for the Internet. (Center for Democracy and Technology)

New Rules Project / Institute for Local Self-Reliance audiovideo - Reports on how citizens and communities can strengthen democracy and promote economic prosperity through locally-based initiatives in education, health, manufacturing, farming, commerce, and energy production. (Non-profit organization)

local resource N.J. Division of Elections - Includes an annual Elections Guide outlining the important deadlines for upcoming elections. You can find your local polling place at Where to Vote in N.J., and a variety of other resources for voters and for candidates. This site also offers links to current NJ Congressional and Legislative District Maps. (State of New Jersey)

local resource NJ.com Election News - Coverage of state and local elections in New Jersey. (Site includes video & pop-up ads)

Opensecrets.org - Search by a candidate's last name for detailed disclosure on their campaign funding. You can also enter a zip code, donor name, organization, keyword, or industry to retrieve a list of political contributions. Includes an online newsletter / blog which tracks contribution paybacks and aims 'to educate its readers and encourage them to examine the role of money in the U.S. political system.' (Center for Responsive Politics; site includes advertisements). See also Project Vote Smart, below.

Politico video - Coverage on the politics of Capitol Hill, the presidential campaign, and the business of Washington lobbying and advocacy. (Capitol News Company; site includes advertisements)

Polling Report - Data from a broad range of American public opinion surveys on elected officials, candidates, and current issues. (Nonpartisan; site includes advertisements)

Project Vote Smart - This useful site provides information about candidates' voting records and positions on key issues. Also includes candidate biographies, campaign finances, special interest group ratings, and voting records, where available. Now also includes information about the Federal Court System and State Supreme Courts.

Real Clear Politics video - Links to political commentary, news, and polling data from media 'on all points of the political compass and covering all the important issues of the day.' Includes video from TV news & opinion programs. Updated every morning and throughout the day (site includes advertisements). For more links to news & political commentary, see the South Plainfield Public Library's News / Media page.

Stateline - Research and analysis on state policy issues such as healthcare, tax and budget policy, the environment, and welfare reform. (Pew Charitable Trusts)

Sunlight Foundation - Tools and resources for media and citizens working towards greater government transparency and accountability. Includes political fundraising data, blogs, and links to related resources. (A non-profit, nonpartisan organization)

TruthOut video - 'Truthout works to broaden and diversify the political discussion by introducing independent voices and focusing on undercovered issues and unconventional thinking.' Includes feature stories, news, opinion, and video. (Non-profit organization)

Volunteer Match - Resources for volunteers and community activists. See also All for Good, and Network for Good. For best results, use all these sites to search for volunteer opportunities. Volunteer.gov lists volunteer opportunities with federal agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service, and Veterans Administration.

revised 6/13 jd

Valid HTML 4.01 Strict

Valid CSS!