Libraries
Elections
Search Strategies
Book & Manuscript Tips
- Search these Library of Congress subject headings in
WestCat
, the library's online catalog:
- Tips: Use the Quick Search option and enter the terms below in the search box and select Subject as the search.
- elections
- dark money
- political action committees
- right to vote
- voting/voters
- foreign interference
- suffrage
- disenfranchisement
- democracy
- electoral college
- popular vote
- campaign finance
- political parties
- federal election commission
- voter fraud
- voter registration
- voter turnout
- political campaigns
- politicians
- primary elections
- political participation
- Citizens United
- contested elections
- campaign fraud
- Use the Quick Search option and enter aging, ageing or elder? in the search box and select Any Word Anywhere as the search.
- Use the Advance Search option and search "voter fraud" or "political corruption" as phrases.
- If you are having trouble finding material on your topic, try searching I-Share (through WestCat ), a database of the catalogs of over 70 Illinois libraries or WorldCat , a database of library catalogs from all over the world.
- Any book you find which we don't have may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Allow a week to 10 days.
- Try searching CRS Reports to find Congressional Research Reports on your topic.
Related Topics:
- political corruption
- gerrymandering
An important source for many research topics is Congress. Congressional committees and subcommittees hold hearings on a wide variety of controversial and timely subjects. Simply add the word "hearing?" to a search string in WestCat .
Search Engines
Google
and
StartPage
Use these search engines to search for government information by typing "site:gov" in the search box preceding your search terms:
- site:gov "election fraud"
- site:mil election interference
Article Tips
- Search the database CQ Researcher
- Search the database Opposing Viewpoints.
- Search the database International Political Science Abstracts.
- Search the multi-disciplinary databases, like Academic Search Complete and Academic OneFile Select.
- Search Nexis Uni for full-text law review articles.
- Make sure WIU doesn't have access to articles you find in databases that don't make all articles available full-text by searching the Periodicals Holdings List for the journal title. The PHL contains full-text e-titles purchased by WIU Libraries, and print/microform periodicals shelved in the Libraries.
- Any article you find to which we don't have access may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Allow a week to 10 days.
Illinois Voter Information
- Registering to Vote in Illinois
- A link to a pdf document on registering to vote in Illinois from the the Illinois State Board of Elections' website.
- Illinois Voter Registration Lookup
- This site can be used to look up whether you are registered to vote in Illinois. It also gives a voter's polling place.
- Early Voting in Illinois
- A link to a pdf document on early voting in Illinois from the Illinois State Board of Elections' website.
- Voting by Mail in Illinois
- A link to a pdf document on voting by mail (absentee ballot) in Illinois from the Illinois State Board of Elections' website.
McDonough County, Illinois Voter Information
- McDonough County, Illinois Polling Locations
- A link to an Interactive Map showing the location of polling places in McDonough County, Illinois. Users can click on a polling location to see the address.
- Early Voting in McDonough County, Illinois
- A link to a Word document giving the early voting schedule in McDonough County, Illinois, from the McDonough County, Illinois Elections and Voter Registration website.
- Sample Ballot for McDonough County, Illinois
- A link to the Sample Ballot for McDonough County, Illinois from the McDonough County, Illinois Elections and Voter Registration website.
Agencies
- Federal Election Commission
- This agency's website contains links to laws and regs, campaign finance data, and forms needed to start your own PAC.
- Illinois Board of Elections
- All about voting, candidates and more.
- Vote Missouri
- Information on voting in Missouri, including information on voter ID requirements and absentee voting.
- Voting in Iowa
- Information on voting in Iowa, including information on registering to vote and absentee voting.
Reports
- Voting and Registration (Census)
- This webpage from the Current Population Survey has biennial data going back to 1996 and historical time series data going back to 1964.
Selected Political Parties
- Democratic Party
- Republican Party
- Communist Party U.S.A.
- Green Party
- Libertarian Party
- Socialist Party U.S.A.
Statistics
- US Presidential Election Maps, 1789-2012
- This site contains printable maps from the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas of the United States showing electoral votes won, by political party, for the Presidential elections from 1789 to 2012.
- Voting America
- This website from the University of Richmond has cinematic maps, interactive maps and commentary concerning Presidential elections from 1984 onward.
- Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
- This site from David Leip has national statistics from 1789 to present as well as maps.
General Information Sites
- Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions, campaign finance, and voting records are some of the things you'll find at this premiere political website.
- VOTE411.org
- This website sponsored by the League of Women Voters Education fund has everything you need to know about voting in your state.
- Map the Candidates (Slate)
- The site allows you to access videos and other information by looking at a map where you can set the timeline, pick the date to see who was where, and what they were doing on the campaign trail.
- American National Election Studies (ANES)
- This site is a collaboration between Stanford University and the University of Michigan has data concerning the "causes and consequences of voting behavior and electoral outcomes." Data back to 1948.
- Pew Research Center
- Find political polling results and analysis, commentary, datasets and more.
- Pollster (from Huffington Post)
- Analysis of polling data from various sources.
- FiveThiryEight
- The most up-to-date polling and analysis from statistical wunderkind Nate Silver.
Political News
- Politico
- Political news and commentary.
- Roll Call Politics (Congressional Quarterly)
- Political news concerning campaigns for president, house and senate seats and governorships.
- ABC News Politics
- Political News and analysis from ABC News.
- CNN Politics.com
- Political news and analysis from CNN.
- CBS News Politics
- Presidential campaign coverage from CBS.
- NBC News Politics
- Campaign news and analysis from NBC.
- Politics (NYT)
- Political coverage from the New York Times.
True or False?
- FactCheck.org
- WAPO Fact Checker
- Politifact.com (Tampa Bay Times)
- ProCon.org (Pros and Cons of controversial issues)
Money in Politics
- Illinois Political Contributions by Candidates - this site can be used to view political contributions to a candidate running for office in Illinois.
- MAPlight.org (Money And Politics)
- OpenSecrets.org
- CampaignMoney.com
- Follow the Money - State Government
Browse by Topic
- FDLP Libguides
- Aging
- Agriculture
- Business/Economics
- Careers
- Children/Juvenile
- Civil War (U.S.)
- Constitutional Issues
- Crime/Justice
- Defense
- Demographics
- Education
- Elections
- Environment
- Foreign Affairs
- Government/Congress
- Haiti
- Health/Nutrition
- Illinois History
- Illinois Sites
- Labor
- McDonough County
- Native Americans
- Presidency
- RSS
- Science
- Social Issues
- Substance Abuse
- Taxes
- Transportation
- Voting in Illinois
Connect with us: