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Google Launches Open Source Voter Information Tool

Posted by Unknown on from the hitchiker's-guide-to-the-ballot dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Google announces a new Voter Information Tool which, as its name implies, can be used by voters to find relevant information such as where you can vote and for whom. The search giant is releasing the new feature just over a week in advance of the US Presidential Election on November 6. This raises the question: can Google influence the elections even more than it already does via lobbying?" I've found Ballotpedia useful as well.

7 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. How Does It Raise that Question? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This raises the question: can Google influence the elections even more than it already does via lobbying?

    Could you explain to me how this tool raises that question? If you felt that Google was telling you to vote for Obama or Romney with this tool, which one was it because I didn't get a strong feeling for either ... it seems like they were just redisplaying CNN graphs and sending you to news articles. Take it up with the sites you land at and the popularity of their inflammatory headlines, not Google.

    When I beg my coworkers, friends and family to vote, I'm not telling them who to vote for nor do I want to know afterwards. I only ask them to inform themselves and hit the booths on November 6th. How is Google's tool any different than that?

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    1. Re:How Does It Raise that Question? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

      It's different because, it's a Voter Information Tool. They tons of information on Voters. They use that to sell ads and help out the Feds

  2. Where's the Part of the Ballot that Matters? by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Let's face it, Romney/Obama isn't really gonna make much difference to me locally compared to the bond referendum that sits on the November 6th ballot. So why is it that neither of these sites contain any information or reference to the my county's proposal to renovate three libraries, build a fourth, expand and improve county and regional parks, rebuild three fire stations, renovate twenty two courtrooms and build a levee and pumping station to protect a community from floods?

    I was hoping that Google would have figured out a way to mine this and give me more news and opinions on it. Maybe news items on historical perspectives of what good and bad came from the 2009 referendum?

    In Ballotpedia's defense they have the 2009 referendum but no mention of the 2012 ... why do I not find any tools for local government? Is that too difficult and expansive to tackle?

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    My work here is dung.
    1. Re:Where's the Part of the Ballot that Matters? by Sarten-X · · Score: 3, Interesting

      why do I not find any tools for local government? Is that too difficult and expansive to tackle?

      Having worked on an election-information site, I can tell you definitively: yes.

      Every state chooses its own process for elections, and often each municipality can change that process as they see fit. There is no requirement that information about the ballots be made available in digital form. There is no requirement that any particular format be used. In some places, the only description of what's on the ballot is a small notice in the local weekly newspaper, and the ballot itself. Even a list of candidates is hard to get for some technology-opposing areas.

      When I worked on my particular election site, we had eight people on staff, and five of them were working full-time collecting information from newspapers, government agencies, and sometimes phone calls to the candidates themselves.

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    2. Re:Where's the Part of the Ballot that Matters? by Hatta · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Other people are concerned about silly things like killing babies

      If that actually happened, nerds would be as concerned about that as anyone else. But infanticide is already illegal.

      whether they'll be able to retire

      Which is directly related to income inequality and holding the rich accountable when they plunder funds the economy needs to keep running.

      and what country hates us the most.

      Which is directly related to how many drones we send to drop bombs on civilians in that country.

      Of the 3 issues you claim normal people are worried about, one is obviously irrelevant to anyone with a high school biology education and the ability to think critically. The other two are directly related to issues I raised which no candidate has raised.

      Nerds aren't a niche interest because we care about stupid things that no one else does. We care about the same things everyone else does, we're different because we're informed.

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    3. Re:Where's the Part of the Ballot that Matters? by Stickybombs · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They don't care when life begins, or they would be lobbying for changes to the tax code too, allowing you to claim a dependent the moment a child is conceived. What they really want is control of you and your body when it suits their needs.

  3. Voter Tools by kodiaktau · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Voter tools like Publius are far more valuable than the collection of graphs from Google. Voters need a single place to research and look for information about their ballot. Especially for voters on border lines with other states, issues are muddied as TV and radio aren't focused enough to hit just their target market. Looking at a single place where your ballot is laid out is much more effective.

    The organization and source of the Google data is questionable in my mind. Not sure why they have chosen to group things the way the did in the Insights tab and makes it look suspicious.