February 5, 2008 - Primary Election
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- Easy Voter Guide
- Designed for use by "new voters and busy voters, this guide "offers information in very simple, easy-to-understand English. The guide includes information about the candidates and brief statements of their positions on several popular issues (education, health care, immigration, etc.), as well as brief descriptions of the "proposed laws" (ballot propositions) with easy-to-read pro and con arguments. Also includes information on how the voting process works, how to register to vote, and related topics of interest to new citizens and new voters, and it links to other elections websites for those who want additional information. Printed version is downloadable in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean .
- Rock the Vote
- Rock the Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, which mobilizes young people to create positive social and political change in their lives and communities and to take action on issues they care about. Their website answers the question "Why Vote?," gives info on how elections work and what you need to do to vote, offers info on youth votes and election activities via the Rock the Vote blog and outlines ways to get involved yourself.
- The 51st State: The State of Online
- "The presidential election of 2008 will be the first true “Internet election.” Information consultant Laura Gordon-Murnane discusses ways in which the Internet has become the essential tool for all political candidates to announce their campaigns, release new campaign ads, answer questions posted by voters, post videos and photos, raise awareness (as well as lots and lots of money) and engage younger voters. Includes a 13-page list of websites, blogs, MySpace pages, RSS feeds, YouTube videos and other Internet-based tools used by various candidates and the mainstream media, with links to all online tools and sites. (List of online resources begins on page 22.) Cite: Gordon-Murnane, Laua. "The 51st State of Online" Searcher. Nov./Dec/ 2007: 19-39. < http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/nov07/Gordon-Murnane_51stState.pdf >
- Religion and Politics 2008
- The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life offers brief profiles of each of the Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates and their views on religion and other hot button topics such as abortion, church & state, the death penalty, gay marriage, immigration, the Iraq war, stem cell research and others. The site also offers religious profiles of eleven key primary states (see California, for example) including statistical overviews, information about past elections (for example "candidate preference by religious tradition") and links to websites of political and religious groups in the state. (More about the Pew Forum )
- Analysis of California Ballot Measures - Pros and Cons
- This excellent site from the League of
Women Voters of California offers concise, clear and non-partisan
analysis of the high points of each proposition and its pro and con
arguments as well as more in-depth analysis of each proposition. Also offers tips on how
to evaluate the propositions on your own.
- SmartVoter Sonoma County & Statewide
- Offers information on candidates for office in California, including open Congressional seats, State offices (State Assembly and State Senate positions) and local offices (School boards, city councils, judges, etc.), Also provides information on State ballot propositions and local Sonoma County measures, the ability to enter your address and find YOUR polling place and other useful voter information. View all candidates, ballot propositions and measures on Sonoma County ballots.
- University of California, Berkeley's Institute for Governmental
Studies Library.
- Analysis of each California ballot proposition includes a summary, background information, pro and con arguments, information on the campaign committees supporting the proposition, total contributions and expenditures for each, links to relevant websites, reports and newspaper articles on each proposition. This site also offers a summary list
of numerous organizations which have endorsed or opposed each proposition, information on why California moved its primary election from June to February this year, and a calendar showing dates of other states' primaries.
- California Voter Information
Guide and Voter Information Guide Supplement
- Complete text of the official Voter Information Guide which is mailed
to California households before each election. Information on candidates
as well as summaries, analyses and pro and con arguments for ballot propositions.
- California Secretary of State Elections and Voter Information
- Information on how to register, how to vote, absentee voting, voter education, political parties, candidates' statements, ballot initiatives and more.
- Sonoma County Registrar of Voters
- Enter your zip code and street to locate your polling place and to see a copy of your sample ballot online. You can also check your registration status for the upcoming election online
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More About Candidates & Issues
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- Project Vote Smart
- Described by the New York Times as "one of the most comprehensive
campaign information sites on the Web," this nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization provides an extensive database of information on thousands of
candidates and elected officials, including the President, Congress,
Governors and State legislators. The profile offered for each candidate
includes background and contact information (including e-mail address and
link to candidate's website), candidates' positions on key issues, their
voting records, campaign finances, and ratings of each candidate from over
100 interest groups across the ideological spectrum. The site also explains
How the Primary Process works, What Is the Electoral College? and more.
- OnTheIssues.org: Every Political Leader
on Every Issue
- Presents the candidates' positions on major issues, in outline format, with
links to the full quotations and background statements. Information is
gathered from newspapers, speeches, press releases and the Internet.
Browse by candidate or by issue, or search
directly for a specific candidate. Also offers biographies and links to
candidates' websites. Nonprofit and nonpartisan.
- California League of Women Voters
- Offers information for voter education (how to register to vote, how to
vote by mail, names
of elected representatives, how the government works, etc.) as well as
analysis of California ballot propositions and discussions of positions on
particular issues.
See sitemap for more detail.
- Archive of Campaign
Promises (from the
California Voter Foundation)
- "Provides the public with ... reliable information about campaign promises made by California candidates who are elected to public office."
- California
Secretary of State - Elections Division
- The official voter information site for the State of California, this
site offers information about voting mechanics (voter registration, election
dates,
how to find your
polling place, voting rights, multilingual voting services, etc.) as
well as online forms for registration and the complete text of the
official California Voter
Information Guide with the candidates' statements and the texts of
California ballot initiatives. See also the new
My Vote Counts website from the
Secretary of State.
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California
Ballot Measures Database
- A comprehensive, searchable source of information on California ballot
propositions from 1911 to the present. The database contains the full text
of the propositions, accompanying material contained in the ballot
pamphlets, related legal and legislative history, and digital images of the
ballot pamphlets. From the University of California Hastings Law Library.
- CNN All Politics - Election
Coverage
- Primary and election news as it happens. Offers results and statistics
as well as background information on candidates and issues.
- U.S. Electoral College
- The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election strictly by popular vote. The people of the United States vote for the electors who then vote for the President. This official website for the Electoral College gives more detail on the history and the function of the Electoral college and answers many common questions (How many votes do states get? Who selects the electors for the states? What are the qualifications to be an elector? etc.) It also presents both popular votes and electoral votes from past elections.
- Political Parties
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- Democratic National Committee
- Republican National Committee
- Reform Party Home Page
- Libertarian Party
- Peace and Freedom Party
- Green Parties of North America
- Ralph Nader campaign
- Yahoo! Political Parties page
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Elections - The American Way (Library of Congress - American Memory
Project)
- The Living Room
Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials, 1952-2004
- Think today's campaign commercials are deceptive?
View videos or read transcripts of hundreds of commercials for U.S.
Presidential campaigns, from 1952 - 2004. Search by year, by type of
commercial ("backfire," biographical, children, commander in chief,
documentary, fear or "real people") or by issue (commercials focusing on
civil rights, corruption, cost of living, taxes, war, welfare, etc.). From
the American Museum of the
Moving Image.
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Fact Checking Websites
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- FactCheck.org
- "A nonpartisan, nonprofit, 'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." From the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, this project 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.
- PolitiFact
- Each day, journalists and researchers from the St. PetersburgTimes and CQ (Congressional Quarterly publishers) fact-check the accuracy of speeches, TV ads, interviews and other campaign communications, then posts their findings to the PolitiFact website. The site offers a "Truthometer, "a scorecard separating fact from fiction," for analyzing political claims. You can browse the "Truthometer" by candidate or attacker, by subject, by political party. Claims are rated "true, mostly true, half true, barely true, false or 'pants on fire'." (j.b.)
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Campaign Finance
Election News, Commentary & Results
Past Elections
California - November 7, 2006 General Election
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Election Results
Sonoma County Registrar of Voters
Press Democrat
New York Times - California Election
CNN
NPR
CQPolitics.com
- Analysis of Ballot Measures - Pros and Cons
- This excellent site from the League of
Women Voters of California offers concise, clear and non-partisan
analysis of the high points of each proposition and its pro and con
arguments. Also offers an introduction
to bond financing (What is it? Why is it used? etc.) and gives tips on how
to evaluate the propositions on your own.
- IGS Library | Election 2006 | Blog and Hot Topics
- From the University of California, Berkeley's Institute for Governmental
Studies Library. Analysis of ballot propositions, news and poll results.
Includes a summary list
of organizations which endorse or oppose each proposition.
- SmartVoter Sonoma County & Statewide
- Offers information on candidates for office in California, including open Congressional seats, State offices (State Assembly and State Senate positions) and local offices (School boards, city councils, judges, etc.), Also provides information on State ballot propositions and local Sonoma County measures, the ability to enter your address and find YOUR polling place, a "What's New in This Election?" page and much other useful voter information. View all candidates, ballot propositions and measures on Sonoma County ballots.
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California June 6, 2006 Primary Election
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- Easy Voter Guide
- Candidate information and brief descriptions of ballot propositions, pro and con arguments, in very simple, easy-to-understand English. Also includes information on how a primary works, very brief introductions to the different political parties, and information on what's new in this election. Designed for use by new voters, the 16-page guide is also downloadable in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and a large print version.
- California Voter Information Guide
- Complete text of the official Voter Information Guide which is mailed to California households before each election. Information on candidates and summaries, analyses and pro and con arguments for ballot propositions.
- SmartVoter Sonoma County & Statewide
- Offers information on candidates for office in California, including open Congressional seats, State offices (governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, etc.) and local offices, as well as information on State ballot propositions, an online search for YOUR polling place, "What's New in This Election?" and much other useful voter information.
- California Secretary of State Elections and Voter Information
- Information on how to register, how to vote, absentee voting, voter education, political parties, candidates' statements, ballot initiatives and more.
- Proposition 81: Library Construction and Literacy Improvement Bond
- The California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Bond Act of 2006 would provide $600 million for public library construction and repair. The act enjoyed bi-partisan support and easily passed in both the Senate and Assembly and was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September 2005. It will appear on the June 6, 2006 ballot. This page from the library of U.C. Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies explains how public libraries are funded, describes the financial situation of California's public libraries, briefly summarizes the arguments for and against California Ballot Proposition 81, and links to related web sites and newspaper articles.
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California November 8, 2005 Special Election
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Election Returns
- Live California State Election Returns
- Reporting of election results begins when the polls close at 8:00 P.M.; Updated every 10 minutes.
- Results for Sonoma County Measure M (Ban on genetically modified organisms)
- Other Sonoma County candidates and issues
Voting information
- Hot Topics! November 8, 2005 California Ballot Propositions
- From the library of U.C. Berkeley's Institute Of Governmental Studies, this site outlines the history of special elections in California and offers information on each of the ballot propositions on this November's special election. Includes narrative overviews of each proposition, with historical background and legal aspects, arguments for and against, and links to other key websites, polls, editorials, and newspaper articles about the propositions and related issues.
- League of Women Voters of California
- Unbiased, nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues on the ballot. Includes an explanation of why a special election is being held, descriptions, analysis and pro and con arguments on ballot propositions,
- Easy Voter Guide - California Edition
- Brief descriptions of all eight ballot propositions, pro and con arguments, in very simple, easy-to-understand English. 8-page booklet also available for download in Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. Also includes simple, step-by-step instructions on how to vote for new voters, a fact vs. fiction section which addresses common misconceptions about voting, and resources for educating new or non-English speaking voters. Many documents are available in both print and audio format, in several languages.
- California Secretary of State - Official Voter Information Guide
- Offers the complete voter information guide which is mailed to homes in California. Contains both summaries and complete text of all ballot propositions, as well as analysis by the Legislative Analyst, arguments in favor and against the propositions and rebuttals to the arguments. Also offers information on campaign finance activity, i.e. who is making donations to support or defeat various ballot propositions, and information on multilingual voter services.
- SmartVoter: Sonoma County Voter Information
- Locate your polling place and find contact information for local School Board and Special District candidates as well as information on Sonoma County local Measure M, the "Genetically Engineered Organism Nuisance Abatement Ordinance." Measure M information includes the full text of the proposed ordinance, analysis by the County Auditor, County Counsel and the League of Women Voters, pro and con arguments, a Google search for news on Measure M and links to websites of proponents and opponents.
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2004 General Election
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Election Night Results CNN.com Election 2004
Yahoo! Election 2004
New York Times - Election 2004
PBS
NPR
MSNBC
Los Angeles Times
California Secretary of State
Includes California ballot propositions and county by county results, a close contest summary, a leader change summary and high profile contests. Special technology offers a customizable scrolling results viewer and a version for viewing results on your PDA.
Google News Election Stories
Major 2004 Election Sites
- FactCheck.org
- "A nonpartisan, nonprofit, 'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." From the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, this project 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.
- Project VoteSmart - 2004 Presidential Candidates
- An outstanding elections website! The profile offered for each candidate includes background and contact information (including e-mail address and link to candidate's website), candidates' positions on key issues, their voting records, campaign finances, and ratings of each candidate by over 100 interest groups across the ideological spectrum. Information also offered for Congressional and State candidates and for State ballot measures. The site also explains How the Primary Process works, What Is the Electoral College? and much more.
- OnTheIssues.org: Every Political Leader on Every Issue
- Presents the candidates' positions on major issues, in outline format, with links to the full quotations and background statements. Information is gathered from newspapers, speeches, press releases and the Internet. Browse by candidate or by issue, or search directly for a specific candidate. Also offers biographies and links to candidates' websites. Nonprofit and nonpartisan.
- OpenSecrets.org - 2004 Presidential Election
- OpenSecrets.org offers detailed information on the money collected by various candidates' campaigns as well as information on the new contribution limits which went into effect on November 6, 2002. Click on each candidates name to see financial information, including lists of top contributors with amounts contributed, top industries which have contributed to the candidate, outlines of personal finances, top fund raisers, donor demographics and more.
- By the People: Election 2004 (PBS)
- The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) brings you in-depth coverage and analysis from some of its signature programs, updated regularly, as well as tools to research candidates and elections, a roundup of the best election Web sites, and a calendar to keep you current on campaign events. Includes tips for dissecting a political ad, interpreting a poll, and analyzing a campaign Web site, and links to a PBS Kids' election Web site (kids can be president for a day!).
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- The 2004 U.S. Presidential Election: A View from the Web
- Links to specific features on candidates' websites, e.g. their main sites, fundraising, blogs, endorsements, issues, volunteer opportunities, e-mail signups, and much more.
- The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials, 1952-2004
- View eleven campaign commercials each for George W. Bush and John Kerry. Transcripts of the commercials are also available online.
- Y*Vote? 2004
- A series of television specials on the 2004 presidential election in which 18-30 year olds talked about issues that matter most to them. Watch the video archives or read facts, statistics and documents organized under "Your Money," "Your Education," "Your Rights" and "Your Vote." Also links to other youth-oriented voting websites.
- Yahoo! Directory - 2004 Presidential Election
- A collection of links to election websites and news stories about the 2004 election
- Election Humor
- Links to jokes, cartoons, satire, and Late Show top ten lists on the 2004 presidential candidates and the election itself.
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The Polls
- PollingReport.com - Public Opinion Online
- "An independent, nonpartisan resource on trends in American public opinion," this site offers results of recent polls on election candidates as well as on related topics and issues such as national priorities, Iraq, terrorism, direction of the country, gay marriage, stem cell research and more.
- Electoral Vote Predictor 2004
- According to this site's author, "In 2000 , Al Gore won the popular vote by over half a million votes but George Bush won the electoral vote by 5 votes and became president. Thus watching the electoral vote is more important than watching the national polls. This website is dedicated to tracking the electoral vote by examining the state-by-state polls. As new state polls are released, the maps, spreadsheets, tables, graphs, and movies will be updated." An FAQ is provided, and the author's polling methodology is described on the website.
- Electoral Vote Calculator
- Another electoral vote predictor, this one from the American Research Group.
- Pollbooth.com
- And yet another electoral vote predictor. Be sure to read about the methodology used to tabulate numbers.
The Debates
- Distortions Galore at Second Presidential Debate
- FactCheck.org's report on the third debate.
- Cheney & Edwards Mangle Facts
- FactCheck.org's report on the second debate.
- Distortions and Misstatements at First Presidential Debate
- FactCheck.org's report on the fist debate.
- Commission on Presidential Debates
- The Commission is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization which has sponsored the United States Presidential and Vice Presidential debates since it was formed in 1987. Its website offers history of U.S. Presidential and Vice Presidential debates beginning in 1858, transcripts of the debates from 1960 to the present, debate news and voter education features such as information on how to organize a "Debate Watch" and how to host a debate yourself.
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From the Media
CNN - America Votes 2004 - Election news and background information. Offers a state-by-state "Presidential Primary Explainer," an election calendar, an up-to-date report on "Who's In, Who's Out," and Campus Vibe, reports from student correspondents at selected colleges and universities.
NPR Politics (Includes Election 2004: Hot-Button Campaign Issues )
New York Times: Campaign 2004
Los Angeles Times - Election 2004
Sacramento Bee - Politics
The New Republic - Campaign 2004 General Election
Partisan and Advocacy Political Websites
MoveOn.org
Common Dreams News Center "Breaking News and Views for the Progressive Community
Liberal Media
RightMarch.com - "Virtual March from the Right"
Conservative Periodicals/Zines
California Issues
- Official Voter Information Guide, California Secretary of State
- Offers the complete text and analysis of California ballot propositions as well as arguments for and against the propositions. Also provides candidate statements for Presidential and State Senate candidates. Complete guide can be downloaded in English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
- Easy Voter Guide
- The November 2, 2004 candidates and California ballot initiatives in very brief, simple language. Available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.
Local Issues and Candidates
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- Press Democrat's Vote 2004 - News articles on candidates and ballot measures for Sonoma County as well as Mendocino, Lake, Napa and Marin counties. Also presents statements of candidates for local offices, recorded interviews with Democratic candidates in the 7th Assembly District, and the Press Democrat's endorsements and opinions.
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- Sonoma County Registrar of Voters - Information on how to vote and election results
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California - March 2, 2004 Primary
Election
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California - October 7, 2003 Special Election
(Recall)
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Results
- from California Secretary of
State
website
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from
Sonoma County Registrar of Voters
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from
Yahoo! website
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Find
Your Polling Place
- Not sure where you're supposed to vote? Select your zip code and your
street, and the Registrar of Voters will display the address of your polling
place. You can even get a map online.
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Easy
Voter Guide - California
- From LiteracyWorks and the California State Library, an easy-to-use
guide to registering to vote, choosing a political party and voting. Briefly
describes the October 7 recall election and the
ballot propositions in easy-to-understand basic English.
- Hot
Topic: Recall in California
- From the library of UC Berkeley's Institute of Governmental Studies,
this excellent website offers information on the recall mechanism, its basis
in
California's Constitution and Elections Code and its history, as well as
information on the October 2003 recall election. Links are provided to
the text of legal challenges, newspaper and journal articles, polls, FAQs,
information on campaign finance and websites of public interest groups,
media organizations and advocacy groups. Similar information is provided for
ballot propositions 53 and 54.
- California
Secretary of State - October 7, 2003 Statewide Special Election
Information
- Contains the official voter information guide, questions and answers
about the special statewide election and
the recall process, the text of the recall argument,
the complete list of certified candidates, what candidates must
do to qualify, candidates' statements, papers
filed for ballot propositions 53 and 54, statements from political parties
and other general information for voters.
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Project
VoteSmart: Candidate Profiles
- Profiles for recall candidates offer biographical information as well as
information on the candidates' political experience, positions on issues,
their campaign finances
and links to speeches and public statements.
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SmartVoter:
Shall Gray Davis Be Recalled?.. (League of Women Voters)
- The League of Women Voters provides links to official information about
the recall, the Governor's official website,
websites for and against the recall, sections of the
California Elections Code, basic facts about the
recall, a recall election calendar, and news and analysis in the media. See
also If
the Recall Succeeds for a brief list of candidates and contact
information as well as campaign finance information.
- CalAccess - Campaign
Finance
- From the Secretary of State, information about political contributions
made to specific candidates,
ballot propositions and political parties.
- California Voter Foundation:
California Recall Election Resources
- Links to candidates' websites and campaign finance reports.
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Stateline.org:
SPECIAL: California Recall
- From the Pew Charitable Trust's Pew Center on the States, this annotated
collection links to
news stories, blogs, FAQs, editorial cartoons and recall humor, and other
websites. The collection can be searched by word or phrase.
- California Politicians
[and Candidates] on the Issues
- Read about the Governor's and some recall candidates' voting records and
public statements on issues.
- Election News and Analysis
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San
Francisco Chronicle articles
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Los Angeles Times
See also
complete
index of recent Los Angeles Times stories.
- New
York Times Special
- Sacramento
Bee
- Press
Democrat
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ProQuest
Newspapers search on california recall
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NPR
(National Public Radio) Stories on the California Recall
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KQED
Stories on the Recall
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KCET
(Los Angeles)
- California
Recall Jokes and Humor
- A collection of cartoons, doctored photos, and pictures poking fun at
the California recall election, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gray Davis, and other
candidates for governor.
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California - November 5, 2002 General
Election
California - March 2002 Primary
2000 General Election
Election News and Follow-up
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Results from California
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California - March 7, 2000 Primary
1998 General Election
Voter Information
- 1998 California
General Election Voter Information Guide/Ballot Pamphlet
- From the California Secretary of State, this site provides both a
summary and the full text of each ballot proposition, as well as analysis
and pro and con arguments for each proposition. It also offers statements
from the candidates and links to candidates' web pages.
- League of Women Voters of
California - November 1998 Election Coverage
- The League offers "nonpartisan ballot measure analysis" in three levels
of detail: an Easy Reading Voters' Guide in English and Spanish, outlines of
the pros and cons of ballot propositions, and a more in-depth analysis of
each proposition. Also includes information on the initiative process, a
list of criteria for evaluating ballot propositions in English and Spanish,
an overview of how judges are elected, information on voter
registration, political parties and much more.
- 1998 California Campaign
Contribution Database
- "Select, sort, view, and download detailed records from the most
comprehensive campaign contribution database in California." It includes not
only campaign contributions made to candidates for state office, but also
how much was contributed by specific groups towards passing or defeating
each of the ballot propositions.
- Press Democrat
Online - Election '98
- "The place to look for election-related links, news and editorials from
the Press Democrat staff until the November elections. Coverage concentrates
on races of local interest and stories will be posted as they run in the
paper." A good place to look for Sonoma County and city election
information.
June 1998 Primary Election
1996 Elections
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