This website is an interactive source for learning about the legislative branch of the U.S. government. It allows you to search a database of bills that have come through both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate and what lawmakers sponsored them. The website says it, “makes it easy for [citizens] to stay up to date on key issues facing the United States, identify their state and federal representatives, and send messages directly to these representatives.” It is backed by Capitol Advantage, which is an online and print resource for advocacy groups. It is owned by the Economist Group publication Roll Call.
This website is set up by retired Professor Charlotte Grimes for students at Syracuse University studying political journalism. The pieces they publish include profiles of local political figures as well as the public reaction to various issues of the day. Updated each semester, the site is a valuable resource of any reporter looking to get the pulse of the community or searching for private sources for political-related interviews.
Perhaps the most well-known and most referenced polling company, the Gallup’s website offers a wide range of surveys conducted during election season. It not only tracks what presidential candidate is leading with certain groups but also the overall public appeal of that candidate. Politics is only one of many topics which is tracked by the Gallup poll. Others include consumer confidence, jobs and well-being.
This website takes an in-depth look at how the media covers politics. It contains several studies which show how many stories were devoted to the affairs of a particular candidate or an issue in the presidential election. The site also contains several tips for student reporters covering politics. It is sponsored The Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism Project for Excellence in Journalism and by the Committee of Concerned Journalists.
The Library of Congress’s THOMAS feature allows you to track bills that are in Congress as well as the lawmakers who are sponsoring them. The ‘Legislative Activities’ link takes visitors to the House Clerk’s website where they track bills that are currently on the House floor. The site also has links to an archived index of bills and remarks of several politicians serving on Capitol Hill.
This is the official site for the New York State Board of Elections. It is a good resource for information on state election procedures and laws. The site also is a fast reference tool for information on state election races both past and present. It is a fast-track source for anyone looking for quick details on New York state elections. Visitors also have access to archived webcasts of the Commissioner’s meetings as well as press releases and information on the Help America Vote Act.
This is the official site for the state of New York’s Democratic Committee. It provides a media hub with recent news headlines. It also has information on several major party leaders in the state as well as details on upcoming party events and rallies across New York. It’s a good a source for researching Democratic leaders in New York.
This official site for the state of New York’s Republican Committee provides recent news headlines concerning the party as well as information on several party leaders in the state. It also has information on upcoming party events and rallies across New York and contains links to the websites of several GOP politicians running for public office. There’s also a page of photos specifically for Media use which could be useful.
This website is a fast reference source for looking into where lawmakers stand on several key issues. It goes the extra step by actually listing key highlights of each politician’s individual voting record in the U.S. House/Senate. It is organized by a non-partisan group and is based solely on donations. It has been referenced by several publications and online sources.
This is the official site for Onondaga County’s Board of Elections. It provides the locations of numerous polling stations in Onondaga County, making it a place to start for reporters looking to cover local races.. The site also details the county’s procedure for voter registration, area election regulations as well as a political calendar for Onondaga County.
This is a good site for finding out the sources of a candidate’s finances. It includes the names of top organizations and industries that donated funds. It also provides a breakdown of the expenditures for some candidates. The site’s “Donor Lookup” feature allows you to browse a list of the individual contribution made to several politicians. Open Secrets is sponsored by the Center for Responsive Politics, a non-profit research organization.