Voting smarter with smarter tools this election

At the Case Foundation we spend a lot of time encouraging citizens to realize that civic engagement is more than just voting and volunteering. But tomorrow it's Election Day, and it’s ALL about voting. So we’ve gathered some of the best voting resources on the web to make sure all of our friends get out and vote with as much information as possible.

I’m counting down the hours until Election Day 2010, and I'm very busy researching my own local candidates (Hawai'i's First Congressional District). Thankfully, new and in-depth web resources are more plentiful than they’ve ever been. Below is the Case Foundation’s quick and easy guide to Election Day resources.

• This year Mashable has posted 17 Web Resources to Help You Decide on Election Day, a list by the Sunlight Foundation's Paul Blumenthal.  These resources can direct you to sites to help you figure out candidates’ positions and funding, what their ads are saying, and whether or not their facts check out. One of my favorites is TheBallot.org, which presents voting guides put together by various advocacy groups and organizations for even the most local of races.
• Another great tool is Project Vote Smart’s Vote Easy which lets you read about your candidates’ positions on topics ranging from abortion to taxes. You can also access their resumes, voting histories and campaign finances.
• Know who you’re voting for already? Check out Rock the Vote or Vote411.org for voter registration, election day procedures and polling place information. Readable guides covering everything from how the absentee ballot system works to what you should bring to the polling booth are available on those sites, as well as searchable maps to help you find your nearest polling station. They also have a quick list of ways you can use social media to remind your friends to vote.
• Smartphone users can take all of it with them using the CNN Election Center Mobile App. Available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android, the app helps users find polling stations with their phones and gives them up to the minute coverage of up to 15 races. Through the app, users can also participate in CNN’s iReport Election Project, adding their opinions and photography to CNN’s election coverage. Don’t miss this chance to participate in some excellent citizen journalism!
• For political junkies wishing to delve into minute analysis of the election and follow the results on the day of, I must recommend the Washington Post’s excellent Post Politics website. The campaign tools include interactive maps of the nation and great real time coverage.
• Google has also released an election center widget, integrating directions to your polling station with a brief election overview.
• The most painless way to figure out where you can vote is by texting 30644 and getting your polling location in exchange for your address from The Mobile Commons.
• Next time you log into Facebook, check out Facebook’s US Politics page. They have a tool that allows users to find their polling place based on address. Already voted?  Be sure to get your “I Voted” button and let your friends know! Additionally, they will have Election Night coverage starting with live streaming a Town Hall from Arizona State University at 7pm central.

With the polls opening tomorrow, these tools are great resources for the research and information necessary to perform your civic duty. We wish you happy—and informed—voting this Election Day!

Thanks to Lauren Scherr for her research towards this post. Nikolai Stieglitz is an intern with the Case Foundation.