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2008 Election Web Links

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Most sites are freely available on the Web. Those sites that can only be accessed through subscriptions by the Penn State University Libraries are indicated in parentheses.

Getting Involved

  • Rock the Vote. "Rock the Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, founded in 1990 in response to a wave of attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression. Rock the Vote engages youth...by incorporating the entertainment community and youth culture into its activities."
  • USA.gov Voting and Elections. The official site for information and services regarding voting and elections from the U.S. government, it includes state primary voting dates and historical voting tables for elections.
  • VotesPA!. The Pennsylvania Department of State's online voter information center. "This site was designed to inform the voters and the election officials throughout our Commonwealth on a wide variety of matters related to elections." Allows users to find information on registration and location of their polling place.

Polling Information

  • Franklin & Marshall Poll (formerly Keystone Poll). Site includes valuable data for Pennsylvania. Conducted by F&M's Center for Opinion Research, Floyd Institute for Public Policy.
  • Gallup Poll. Provides access to Gallup Poll data for the elections, and includes a feature tracking daily changes in opinion.
  • Real Clear Politics. "RealClearPolitics.com (RCP) has become one of America's premier independent political Web sites." Site provides findings from many polls, both state and national, and includes selected averaging of poll findings.
  • Quinnipiac University Poll. "The independent Quinnipiac University Poll regularly surveys residents in Connecticut, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and nationwide about political races, state and national elections, and issues of public concern...."

Finding Candidate and Campaign Contribution Information

  • Congress.org. Published by Capitol Advantage, the site allows users to "identify their congressional representatives; research congressional voting records; learn about the issues of the day."
  • Federal Election Commission Campaign Finance Maps. "Page summarizes financial information disclosed by each candidate who has registered with the Commission or appears on a state ballot in a race for the House or Senate during 2007 or 2008."
  • OpenSecrets.org. Published by the Center for Responsive Politics, users "can compare the candidates by the size and source of their contributions, the industries and interest groups that supported them, where the money came from geographically, and much more."
  • Project Vote Smart. As a nonprofit organization focused upon voter education, this site provides information on congressional candidates' voting records, issues positions, and campaign finances, etc.

Election News, Statistics, and Results

  • CNN Election 2008. Site includes interactive maps, including campaign finance data; may view information county-by-county for Pennsylvania for example.
  • CQ Politics. "CQ Politics is the leading free site for policy professionals, opinion leaders and political enthusiasts."
  • CQ Voting and Elections Collection (Penn State Only). Database "provides explanations of the congressional electoral process, including reapportionment and redistricting; data for historical and modern congressional elections; analyses of modern congressional elections...."
  • CQ Weekly (Penn State Only). Each issue of CQ Weekly contains an unbiased, objective and comprehensive roundup of virtually all Capitol Hill activity from the previous week.
  • Fox News You Decide 2008. Site includes interactive map and also data on previous elections.
  • National Journal (Penn State Only). The resource includes reference guides to campaigns and access to the Almanac of American Politics. Includes "Ad Spotlight" feature in National Journal for access to current and recent ads, both presidential and congressional.
  • New York Times Election Guide 2008. The site provides daily access to current campaign developments, as well as interactive graphics on a wide variety of campaign-related topics.
  • Penn State University Libraries Social Sciences Library Links. Selected Web resources for the 2008 election.
  • University of Michigan Documents Center. This is one of the most comprehensive sites on the Web that provides information on voting and elections.
  • Washington Post Elections. The site provides daily access to current campaign developments, as well as interactive graphics on a wide variety of campaign-related topics.

Presidential Campaign Sites

Compiled by:

  • Glenn S. McGuigan, business and public administration reference librarian, Penn State Harrisburg, 717-948-6078, gxm22@psu.edu.
  • Harold B. Shill, Ph.D., professor of political science and information studies, School of Public Affairs, Penn State Harrisburg, 717-948-6080, hbs2@psu.edu.

The Pennsylvania State University ©2008
Last updated Feb 28, 2008.
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