The Elephant and the Donkey

Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
A caricature of Benjamin Franklin guides visitors to this site through the electoral process. First tackling the explanation of the need for an electoral college, the site then provides links to areas that discuss Election Day, the election of representatives and senators, voter registration, and Presidents of the United States.

Vote Smart 
At Project Vote Smart, Americans young and old volunteer their time, take no money from special interest groups, and have committed themselves to an extraordinary effort that, if successful, will provide their fellow citizens with the tools for a reemergence of political power not known for half a century. Their idea is one you may have thought of yourself. It is a deceptively simple concept but enormously difficult to achieve and would not be possible without the collaboration of citizens willing to lay their partisan differences aside for this one crucial task.

Elections the American Way
Just because you're too young to vote does not mean you shouldn't have a well-rounded understanding of the US electoral process. This site gives much information on voting, political parties, candidates and important political issues. You can learn about electoral votes (who elect the president) and the requirements for becoming President of the United States. Click on the features and activities link to read "Interviews with Today's Immigrants", learn about slavery and what started the civil rights movement, or take a comprehensive look at America's history in the "American Memory Timeline".

Federal Election Commission
One of the easiest ways to register to vote in a United States election is through the National Mail Voter Registration. This process uses a form that you can use to register out of town tourist and convention groups, conduct voter registration drives, register individuals and register people from surrounding states who work in a central city. This site talks about the mail voter registration process and how it helps to allow people to register and participate in elections in the United States.

By the People Election Election Glossary
In an election year especially, you will hear many terms relating to the election process. If this political jargon confuses you, the election glossary on this site from PBS will help. Terms are in alphabetical order. Clicking on a term gives you a definition, related words, and photographs. Check out the savvy voter section to get tips on how to make informed political decisions. Learn how to interpret a debate, dissect an ad, and analyze a poll.

US Presidential Elections
Among the topics discussed on this web site devoted to American elections are a history of Presidential elections, how elections work, disputed elections, an explanation of the electoral college, electoral votes of states, and all Presidential elections since 1789 (includes official certified results, election map, and popular vote for each election).

American Presidential Elections
There have been many presidents for the United States since George Washington was president. Here on this site you can access several types of information regarding the presidential elections. First, you will read interesting facts and "quirks" about a few of the elections. One interesting fact is that President John F. Kennedy was the first Catholic president to be elected into office. Next, you will notice a chart with all of the presidents in historical order. The chart provides the electoral vote results and the popular votes results from all of the presidential elections.

Democracy at Work
Discover the inner workings of our government as you visit this site. You will find information about the Presidential Election and the Office of the President. If you were the President, how would you run the country? Play a game to see what choices you need to make. Find out about the history of voting and women's voting rights. Learn about citizenship and what it takes to become a citizen. You can explore local government and get ideas for getting involved.

U. S. Electoral College
Understanding the United States Electoral College can be confusing. Find out why this "college" is not a place, but a process that began with the constitution. The United States National Archives and Records Administration provides answers to numerous questions about the Electoral College. Explanations include how the Electoral College elects the president, who selects the electors and what qualifications they must have, and how the number of votes get divided. Historical election results are posted.

Vote by Issue Quiz
This quiz features some of the issues that have gained traction this campaign season.  The responses are quotes from all presidential candidates that have been collected from the campaign or culled from public speeches, interviews or statements.