Voter Information
Use the following resources to educate yourself on the issues and races facing voters. Consider your own ideological positions, those of the candidates in the various races, and opposing positions on key ballot initiatives. Additionally, you can dig deeper into the campaigns and "peel back" the media bias with the voter toolbox. There are also some pretty cool games! Suggestions are welcome and please feel free to share this page.
Parties, Candidates & IssuesGo directly to the source. What are they saying about themselves & their opponents?
Candidates and Issues
Ballot MeasuresWASHINGTON STATE
INITIATIVES & REFERENDUMS The Secretary of State's website provides voters with everything we need to make an informed decision on the people's initiatives. This year the ballot includes contentious issues such as charter schools, the legalization of marijuana, and same-sex marriage. Here are sites dedicated to the passage or defeat of high-interest measures: Party websites |
Opinion Polls & Media SitesComprehensive coverage of national and state polling and various media sources.
Public Opinion PollsFiveThirtyEight ★
Statistician Nate Silver gathers polling data and uses complex mathematical simulations to forecast election outcomes. Real Clear Politics
An independent resource the gathers and averages polling data from various national and state races. Predictwise
Using prediction markets, aggregates, analyzes, and creates predictions on politics, sports, finance, and entertainment. Polling Report
An independent, nonpartisan resource that gathers polling information from around the country on virtually every issue and major race. 270 to Win
An interactive Electoral College Map Other Prominent sites covering PoliticsPew Research Center ★
Possibly the most reliable, unbiased source available! Politico
Comprehensive coverage of political news with a focus on national politics, Congress, Capitol Hill, the 2012 presidential race, lobbying, advocacy, and more. The Hill
Website of a congressional newspaper that publishes daily when Congress is in session, with a special focus on business, lobbying and political campaigns. The Cook Political Report
Respected political scholar provides his analysis of polls and developments in major races across the nation. Major Media OutletsABC News - OTUS News
CBS News - Politics CNN - Election Center The Daily Beast (Newsweek) - Election Beast FOX News - Elections MSNBC - Politics New York Times - Politics Rueters - Election 2012 Swampland (Time) U. S. New & World Report - Election 2012 Wall Street Journal - Election 2012 Washington Post - Campaign 2012 Popular Conservative WebsitesConservapedia
Drudge Report National Review Newsmax RedState The Weekly Standard The American Spectator The American Conservative Townhall Worldnet Daily Popular Liberal WebsitesCommon Dreams
Daily Kos Democratic Underground Huffington Post Mother Jones MoveOn.org Salon The Nation The Progressive ThinkProgress Political Humor/SatireMultimedia ★C. G. P. Grey's You Tube Channel
How The Electoral College Works The Trouble With The Electoral College What If the Electoral College is Tied? Gerrymandering Explained |
Voter ToolboxExplore your own ideologies and dig deeper into the campaigns and biased advertising.
Register to Vote!What Is Your Political Ideology?
The following online quizzes allow you to explore your political leanings and even be matched up with a presidential candidate. While they do tend to reflect current trends, you may or may not agree with their absolute accuracy. Have fun with them!
IDEOLOGY QUIZZES Pew Research Center: 2011 Political Typology World’s Smallest Political Quiz (the Libertarian quiz) iSideWith (Which candidate do you match up with?) ★ Voter Information SitesVote411.org ★
The League of Women Voters has created this resource for all voters. It is user friendly and personalizes objective information on ballot issues for each voter. Project Vote Smart ★
This non-partisan, nonprofit educational organization works to provide voters with unbiased access to information about candidates and issues. BALLOTPEDIA
Looking and operating like wikipedia, this site provides information about races and measures on ballots across the nation. Rock The Vote
"Building political power for young people." Strives to educate and engage young voters. Thurston County Auditor - Elections
Full disclosure of our election process. Also find information about local races and get all of your election results. Media/Candidate WatchdogsFactCheck.org ★
The Annenberg Public Policy Center's nonpartisan efforts to analyze the accuracy of political claims by officials, candidates, and the media. Media Matters
Liberal "watchdog" spin site. Show Me The Money!OpenSecrets.org
The nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics is the nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy. Find out who is giving how much to each campaign. The Realities of Red States & Blue StatesCartographic maps depict an attribute (such as population) of a state as its area. Political Scientists at the University of Michigan have used such cartograms to reexamine our understanding of the "Red State/Blue State" phenomenon. In reality, we are mostly purple! See for yourself: 2004 cartogram, 2008 cartogram, 2012 cartogram, 2016 cartogram
Games and Simulations ★Win The White House - iCivics
Manage your very own presidential campaign by strategically raising funds, polling voters, launching media campaigns, and making personal appearances. Keep a close eye on the map as you battle over electoral votes and popular support. Other iCivics games. The Redistricting Game
The USC Annenberg Center has created this amazing interactive that will both educate and alarm the typical citizen! You Fix The Budget - New York Times
Today, you’re in charge of the nation’s finances. Some of your options have more short-term savings and some have more long-term savings. When you have closed the budget gaps for both 2015 and 2030, you are done. Make your own plan, then share it online. |