Internet Offers California Voters a Wealth of
Election Information

Davis, CA -- California voters who turn to the Internet to learn more about the March 5th Primary will find vast amounts of reliable information, if they look in the right places. The California Voter Foundation has compiled a short list of top sites recommended to help voters find their way through cyberspace:

* http://www.calvoter.org -- CVF's own web site is home to the California Online Voter Guide, a nonpartisan clearinghouse of election information about state and federal contests.

* http://www.smartvoter.org -- the League of Women Voters of California's web site, where voters can access a personalized voter guide featuring each race and contest on their ballot.

* http://voterguide.ss.ca.gov -- official California Voter Information Guide, published by the Secretary of State (best viewed in Explorer).

* http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov -- campaign finance site where voters can "follow the money", published by the Secretary of State.

* http://www.easyvoter.org -- the Easy Reading Voter Guide, produced by the League of Women Voters and the California State Library and published in print and online in multiple languages.

* http://www.vote-smart.org -- Project Vote Smart has asked California gubernatorial candidates to participate in the National Political Awareness Test, and has issue positions for several of the candidates on its web site.

"Studies show an increasing number of voters are turning to the Internet for election information," said Kim Alexander, CVF's president and longtime observer of the Internet and politics scene. A January 2001 statewide survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found 44 percent of California voters used the Internet to gather news and information about the Presidential election, and 28 percent used the Internet for news about state elections. Nationwide, one in three Americans used the Internet to get information about politics, news and campaigns in 2000, up from one in four in 1998, according to surveys conducted by the Democracy Online Project at George Washington University.

While some are predicting a low voter turnout for next Tuesday's primary, Alexander noted that "a 36 percent turnout of registered voters in California still means between five and six million people will participate in this election. Any statewide election in California is going to be a major exercise in democracy," she said. "Many of those Californians who will participate in next Tuesday's Primary will turn to the Internet to help them get ready to vote. And the Internet will be ready for them."

The California Voter Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1994 and dedicated to advancing new technologies to improve democracy. CVF's work is supported through grants from foundations and donations from individuals. CVF is a nonpartisan organization and does not take positions on ballot measures or candidates. For more information, visit CVF's web site, at http://www.calvoter.org.

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This page was first published on March 1, 2002 | Last updated on March 6, 2002
copyright 1994 - 2000, California Voter Foundation. All rights reserved.