This Election Data Dispatch series explores emerging issues in elections technology and their relationship to the future of voting and civic engagement in America.
During California’s June 2014 primary election, 155,871 visitors accessed the secretary of state’s polling place lookup page, which includes the Google Voter Information Tool and links to county election websites. The tool allows users to find their polling places and see the candidates and propositions that appear on their ballot.
This was the first time that California offered a statewide voting information lookup tool, but some counties have offered local voting information tools for years. Orange County and Los Angeles County provide tools for checking registration status, looking up polling places, and viewing sample ballots. Online tools are essential for keeping the electorate informed because the majority of Americans turn to the Internet when they want to find polling places and candidate information.
Follow us on Twitter using #electiondata and get the latest data dispatches, research, and news by subscribing today.