Check out the following online information
sources to help you cut through, and monitor, the money
and media circus that arguably drives election results.
For more information about the role of money in electoral
politics, check out our Money and Politics
resources section.
DataCenter will continue to update this list
over the election cycle. Please let us know if you have
any suggestions for resources we should include!
* * *
Annenberg
Political Fact Check (http://www.factcheck.org/)
This site describes itself as "a nonpartisan, nonprofit,
'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level
of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." The site
provides original articles, with summaries and sources,
analyzing factual accuracy in "TV ads, debates, speeches,
interviews, and news releases." Searchable archives
going back to December 2003. From the Annenberg Public Policy
Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
Candidate Calendars
& Schedules
Below are links to each of the candidates' official calendars.
Bush and Kerry show events for the upcoming week, Kucinich
posts events 24 hours ahead, and Nader posts events taking
place that day.
Clerk
of the House Vote Counts (http://clerk.house.gov/members/electionInfo/index.html)
Since 1920, the Clerk of the House has collected and published
the official vote counts for federal elections from the
official sources among the various states and territories.
These documents, out of print for many years, have been
collected and scanned in a format to make them once again
available to researchers and students.
Demos
Democracy Program
(http://www.demos-usa.org/page13.cfm)
The Democracy Program "works to promote democracy reform
and eliminate institutional barriers that keep Americans
locked out of our political system". The site includes
extensive resources to understand reform efforts (Help America
Vote Act) and disenfranchised communities, particularly
ex-felons who are currently barred from voting.
Factiva
Media Visibility Index (http://www.factiva.com/index.asp)
Tracks the number of times particular "hot button"
issues are mentioned by candidates in the news on a weekly
basis. Click on Media Visibility Index to see the latest
results. Does not provide archives or search feature.
Federal
Election Commission, PACRONYMS (http://www.fec.gov/pages/pacronym.htm)
Provides an alphabetical list of acronyms, abbreviations,
initials, and common names of federal political action committees
(PACs) to help researchers readily identify committees when
their full names are not disclosed on campaign finance reports.
The list includes the PACRONYM, full committee name, city
and state of its address, FEC I.D. number, and the name
of its sponsoring, connected, or affiliated organization
(if not readily identifiable from the full committee name).
Unless noted otherwise in the full committee name, the acronym
"PAC" refers to "Political Action Committee."
There is an appendix included which lists other standard
abbreviations commonly used in committee names.
Fundrace
(http://www.fundrace.org/)
Tracks the fundraising race among the presidential candidates.
Ranks candidates fundraising by several factors, such as
average income of donors, number of donors, etc. Also provides
maps showing which counties, states and 3-digit zip codes
are providing the most financial support to each candidate.
Eyebeam engages cultural dialogue at the intersection of
the arts and sciences.
Independent
Progressive Politics Network, Democracy 2004 (http://www.democracy2004.org/mobilization.html)
This site aims to pull together a comprehensive map of the
major issues, initiatives, strategies, resources and tools
that are being utilized by various progressive communities
and movements in a variety of areas. Provides a useful list
of links to issue and democracy reform campaigns for the
'04 elections, particularly groups that are working to get
out the vote.
Lexis-Nexis
Campaign News Monitoring (http://www.lexisnexis.com/campaign2004/)
Provides free access to U.S. 2004 election news monitoring
from Lexis-Nexis (a fee-based database). The service was
launched January 26, 2004. The free section does not include
a search function, but is divided into useful categories
- In the Headlines, General Campaign News, and Platforms
and Issues. Paid subscribers have access to a search function
on their log-in page.
Political
Money Line Guide to the 2004 Presidential Race
(http://www.fecinfo.com/cgi-win/pml1_sql_PRESIDENTIAL.exe?DoFn=2004)
Shows summary campaign fundraising by the major Democratic
and Republican presidential candidates. Includes disbursements,
debt, and the major categories of funding sources (PACs,
individuals, party committees). Collected by FECInfo.com,
a site that provides access to raw data from the Federal
Election Commission.
Project
Vote Smart (http://www.vote-smart.org/)
Covers candidates and elected officials in five basic categories:
biographical information, issue positions, voting records,
campaign finances and interest group ratings. Political
resources section is particularly thorough.
Racism
Watch (http://www.racismwatch.org/index.html)
Network of activists organized to respond to clearly racist
statements and actions in the 2004 elections. Monitors statements
and actions of candidates at various levels, from local
to President. Includes a list of suggested questions for
candidates, articles and suggested readings (resources)
on racism. You can sign up for their email listserv to join
discussions and learn about actions.
Rock
the Vote (http://www.rockthevote.com)
Voter registration campaign aimed at youth. Provides information
and links for voter registration in every state.
Roper
Project Polling Data (http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/)
Compiles presidential job approval ratings and issue polling
data from 5 polling sources. Gallup polls for previous presidents
are also available. You can also find transcripts from candidate
debates. From the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research
at the University of Connecticut.
University
of Michigan, Elections 2004 Documents Center (http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/elec2004.html)
Links to presidential candidate web sites, complete political
biographies, voting records, campaign finances, and polling
numbers. You can compare them to yourself on the issues.
If you decide you want to run for the presidency, there's
advice on how to do it. Check out your competition for statewide
offices if you are a little less ambitious. Want
to know more about the issues? There are links to the 9/11
Commission hearings, projected federal budget deficit, No
Child Left Behind Act, and Congressional debates prior to
the Iraq War. Plus there are the usual academic research
tools: National Election Surveys, spreadsheets of previous
presidential and congressional elections (campus-licensed),
and Boolean protocols for political science journal searches.
Updated Feb
2005. Please send Web site corrections to datacenter@datacenter.org.
