BCPL Government - Elections, Voting and Politics page.
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Elections, Voting and Politics
Congress.org's Issues
and Action
Makes available issues
of importance to organizations with a wide range of varied ideas and beliefs. Tracks bills and
votes in Congress on the issues
FactCheck.org: Annenberg Political Fact
Check
from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University
of Pennsylvania.
A nonpartisan, nonprofit advocate for voters that monitors "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." The site analyze and
comment on political claims and statements, providing summaries and the
facts.
Federal Election Commission
An independent regulatory agency whose duty is to disclose campaign finance
information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and
prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of
Presidential elections. Responsible for the administration and enforcement
of campaign finance laws.
Follow the Money: National
Institute on Money in State Politics
The
Institute is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to
accurate, comprehensive and unbiased documentation and research on campaign
finance at the state level. The Institute develops searchable databases,
makes them available to the public online, and analyzes the information to
determine the role campaign money plays in public policy debates in the
states.
Maryland
Public Policy (local interest)
A neutral group that focuses on state
policy issues.
Maryland State Board of Elections Campaign Finance Database
(local interest)
All campaign committees that are filed
with the State Board of Elections are required to submit detailed reports
disclosing all of their financial activity. This information has been
compiled into a database that is searchable by contributions received, expenditures made, and summary information by candidate name or account. There is also a
Summary Guide to Candidacy and Campaign Finance Laws.
On the Issues
A non-partisan group providing information for voters about candidates for
President, Senate and House of Representatives.
OpenCRS
Congressional Research Service provides reports to Congress on many topics.
This site
by the Center for Democracy and Technology provides you access to many of these public documents. Enter
search term in search box.
Opensecrets.org
Information from 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.
Tracks who's giving, who's getting,
the major issues before Congress, and who's trying to influence the
decisions.
Project
Vote Smart
A citizen's organization that presents federal and state candidates' and officials' views
on issues,
biographies, voting records, and finances.
Politics
A directory covering popular topics, political parties and their
positions, people and places provided by Librarians' Internet Index.
Public Agenda
A non-profit, non-partisan organization, that highlights key public issues
and hot topics gathering public opinion data from a wide variety of sources
including surveys conducted by most major opinion research organizations and
by conducted extensive research itself.
Election Agencies
and Organizations
Baltimore County Board of Elections (local interest)
List of filed candidates, election schedules,
voter registration, election results, district maps, and a
polling
place locator.
Also includes information about running for office.
Federal
Election Commission
Takes legal action based on federal campaign finance law and
makes known who funded federal election campaigns. Has reporting forms,
and filing information.
League of Women Voters of Baltimore County
(local interest)
Educates Baltimore County citizens about candidates and
issues through forums, debates, candidate nights, printed Voter's Guides and
an online Voters Guide, conducts voter registration drives and can be
contacted for various election information.
League of
Women Voters of Maryland (local interest)
Source of information about elections and
candidates in Maryland. Studies issues that impact state and local
governments and urges changes.
The LWV creates position papers and
articles on many issues, which can be found in their
E-Library.
Maryland State Board of
Elections (SBE) (local interest)
Makes sure that the requirements of Maryland and federal election
laws are met by all persons involved in the Maryland election process. Petition
information, filing requirements, election procedures and forms, past and
recent state election results, campaign finances database, candidate lists
are available.
Election District
Maps and Redistricting
2002-2010 Maryland Congressional Election Districts Maps
(local interest)
Shows boundary of each district as well as state and county districts
for United States Congress . Use
Zoom In tool to get more detail.
2002 Maryland State and County Legislative Election District Maps
(local interest)
Includes statewide and county districts for Maryland General Assembly
representation.
Baltimore County Congressional, Legislative and Councilmanic Election
Districts (local interest)
These maps have more detail for all Baltimore County election districts. Use
Zoom In tool to find out what streets are in each district. They can be
downloaded and printed.
Census 2010
Redistricting Data
Every ten years the boundaries are redrawn for the United States Congress and state
legislatures' election districts. The census figures used in 2000 were the population numbers for the 50 states and District of Columbia
down to block level for all persons, for all person 18 years and over,
Hispanic/Latino persons by race and not Hispanic/Latino persons by race for
both the total population and the population 18 years and over. National
planning for census 2010 redistricting is starting.
Maryland Election Districts
(local interest)
Maps of various districts including Commissioner, Congressional,
Councilmanic and Legislative districts. Also includes information about
independent agencies, committees, and commissions.
Maryland Redistricting
and Reapportionment
(local interest)
The Maryland General Assembly provides information, documents, new district maps resulting from Maryland's
redistricting following Census 2000.
Redistricting in Maryland
(local interest)
Final status, defines Legislative and Congressional districts.
Election Laws and
the Election Process
Government and Elections
(local interest)
The state's gateway to information on
election laws, rules, and results; how, where and when to vote.
Kid's Guide to the
Election Process
by the Superintendent of
Documents, United States Government Printing Office.
Learn how the election process for federal
officials works. For students grade 6-12 and for
grades 3-5.
Information about specific candidates and their campaigns or political
parties and their platforms will not be found here.
Maryland Election Law (local interest)
An online version of the Election Law Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.
Maryland
Presidential Primary (local interest)
Explains the two ways that a candidate
for the Presidency of the United States may get his or her name on the
Maryland primary ballot.
Politics1.com Maryland (local interest)
Complete directory of
Maryland candidates for Governor, State Cabinet, United State Senator and
Congress in the current election cycle, plus links to state political
parties, the official state election office, and a variety of state news
sources.
Includes links to candidates' websites.
Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates
Dates, places and transcripts of 2008 debates by the candidates. Gives information on
many historic
debates and
transcripts
for many years of the Presidential and Vice Presidential ebates.
Baltimore County Election
Results (local interest)
from Baltimore County Board of Elections
Baltimore County results from the
2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 Primaries and 2004, 2006 and 2008 General elections.
Dave Leip's Atlas of United States
Presidential Elections
Voting results from the Presidential general election of 1789-2008 and the
2000-2008 Presidential primaries. Gives electoral votes, popular vote totals for major party and
top 2 to 3 third party nominees in each race. Also some (1892-2008) state data on vote in Presidential
primaries and general elections.
Federal Election Commission
Voter registration and turnout
statistics for federal elections 1960-1996. Federal election results from
1996-2006.
Federal
Election Statistics 1920 plus
provided
by
the
Clerk of the United States House of Representatives
The official vote counts for federal
elections from the official sources among the states and territories.
Maryland Election Results
(local interest)
from Maryland State Board of Elections
Results of Presidential, Gubernatorial, and Baltimore City elections by office, by county,
and Legislative or Congressional district from 1983 to present. Total votes on ballot
questions available. Voter turnout and
voter registration numbers
(2000 to present) by county and by party.
Maryland
Presidential Primary Results (1912-2008) (local interest)
from the Maryland Office of the Secretary of State.
Statewide number of votes cast for each Presidential candidate,
Maryland Presidential
General Elections (1948-2004) (local interest)
from Maryland State Board of Elections
Number of votes per candidate for
all Presidential General Elections from 1948 to 2004
in the State of Maryland. Write-in candidates are not listed.
Maryland Voter Registration Statistics 2000-2008 (local interest)
from the Maryland State Board of Elections
Voter registration figures by county, congressional districts as well as
legislative districts and sub districts at the time of the last day of
registration prior to an election. Monthly changes in registration figures
for current year available as well and projections by age and party.
Presidential
Election Results for 2008
from CNN
United
States Voting and Registration Statistics
Covers the level of voting and registration in past federal elections,
characteristics of those people who indicated that they voted or were
registered to vote, and reasons given why they did not vote. Not all reports
cover figures for individual states. Best location for information by sex,
age or race.
Electoral Votes by State for 2004 and 2008
Each State is allocated a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S.
Senators (always 2) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives. The
members in the House of Representatives who represent the State is
determined by the State's population. The State's population is based on the
2000 Census.
Maryland Electoral College
(local interest)
When it is held, how number of Electors is determined and how they are
selected.
United
States Electoral College
Answers to frequently asked questions, historical election results, how the
electors voted, teaching resources, an electoral college calculator, and
voting resources.
Government Officials and
Contact Information
Current Government Officials
(local interest)
Locate names, mailing addresses, phone
and fax numbers, e-mail, websites, and photos for Baltimore County and
Baltimore City, Maryland state officials, United States and foreign
officials.
Find Your
Representative
(local interest)
Find your Baltimore County Council member, Maryland Legislative (General Assembly) and Congressional
district number and federal and state officials' name.
This site will also give you a Baltimore City Council district number and
Council member for a Baltimore City address.
How to Address Officials
(local interest)
General guide for addressing official correspondence to local, state and
national officials.
Directory of United States
Political Parties
Two major political parties and third parties listed.
Recognized Political Parties in
Maryland
(local interest)
by Maryland State Board of Elections
Independent Party of Maryland
Voter
Information for Baltimore County Residents
Absentee Voting (local interest)
Online
application form to request an absentee ballot [PDF] (formulario
y instrucciones disponibles también en español) for Maryland residents.
Application forms are not available
at Baltimore County Public libraries.
Baltimore County Polling Place Locator, Where Do I Vote?
(local interest)
Use this tool to quickly find your Baltimore County polling place, your Councilmanic (for Baltimore County Council),
Legislative (for Maryland General Assembly) and Congressional (for United
States Congress) district numbers.
Casting Your Ballot in Baltimore County (local interest)
Polling place hours and accessibility information for elderly and persons
with disabilities, final date for requesting
absentee ballots and for filing absentee ballots, and
information on the Touch screen voting system. When is
the next election and what offices are up for election?
Check Your Voter Registration (local interest)
If you are a registered voter, you can use this site to verify your voter
registration information including your Congressional and State Legislative
Districts, obtain your polling place location (including driving directions
and a map), and view your sample ballot (as soon as it is available).
How To
Vote in Maryland (local interest)
Most everything you want to know about voting and casting your ballot in
Maryland and
registering to vote. Covers how to restore your voting rights, to
register if living overseas, to change one's address, change parties, and
more.
Maryland
Voter Registration Application local interest)
Online application form in English and
formulario y instrucciones disponibles también en español
[PDF].
Voter Registration Applications in English are available at all Baltimore
County Public libraries.
Notice of Election and Location of
Polling Places (local interest)
As
required under Section 8 - 102 of Election Law Article, Annotated Code of
Maryland, the Baltimore County Board of Elections is required to publish notice to the
qualified voters of Baltimore County when an election will be held and the
location of polling places within the
precincts of the Election Districts of Baltimore County.
Participation in Voter Registration Activity (local interest)
Any individual or
group wishing to distribute voter registration applications and/or
assist others in the completion of these forms must be certified as a Voter
Registration Volunteer. You may apply at your
County Board of Elections
or the State Board of Elections for Voter Registration Volunteer
training.
Voter Registration in Baltimore County (local interest)
Eligibility requirements, how and when to register, how to change party affiliation or name/address, etc. Voter
registration applications (in English) are also available at all Baltimore
County Public libraries. Download an online
voter registration application form (in English and
en español, con instrucciones.
Voting
for People with Disabilities or Inability to Read or write English
(local interest)
If your polling place is not accessible, you may request reassignment to an
accessible polling place or request an absentee ballot. You must make the
request for reassignment no later than the close of registration for any
election. Voting in Maryland voting is accessible as described in this
online brochure in
English
[PDF] and
Spanish
[PDF].
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
15 January 2010.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
15 January 2010.
You are welcome to provide feedback.