Elections 2012
Vote Smart
Find out about the candidates, the issues, voting records, and more:
Election Information
Project Vote Smart
Roll Call
Fact Check - consumer advocate for voters to help reduce deception and confusionYour Vote Matters
Register to Vote
Early Voting
National Presidential Caucus
Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission
administers and enforces the Federal Election
Campaign Act - the statute that governs the financing of federal elections.
The duties of the Commission, which is an independent regulatory agency, are
to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law
such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the
public funding of presidential elections.
The FEC website includes links to news, FEC forms, election law information,
and election statistics. The link to their Citizen Guide is prominently
displayed. The Citizen Guide provides a detailed, yet easy to understand
summary of election law and procedures, information on campaign finance,
information on voting in the states, and historical statistics on voting
patterns.
Washington County Election Commission. Website provides information on polling places, state primaries, sample ballots, and more. Main St. Court House, Jonesborough, Tennessee. 423-753-1688
Tennessee Elections
For general information about
Tennessee elections, the first place to go is the webpage of The Tennessee Secretary of State Division of Elections. This division coordinates the
activities of county election commissions and is responsible for insuring the
legality and uniformity of election procedures throughout the state.
The website is simple to understand and easy to use. Links on the left side take you to Division of
Election regulations, voter registration forms and procedures, and the list of
presidential candidates who have qualified for the Tennessee presidential
primary. One of the most useful links takes you to a list of county election
commissions, a few of which have their own webpages. Another link offers
district maps down to the county and precinct level.
The League of Women Voters of Tennessee
A very useful site is maintained by the Tennessee League of Women Voters, which is a nonpartisan organization that provides voter education and supports election and campaign finance reform. The Tennessee League’s site provides information on: registering to vote, election dates, voting procedures in Tennessee, and Tennessee national and state elected officials. There are also links to several local Leagues around the state.
Tracking the Money
As each year passes, it seems that donations to candidates and elected officials set new records. Although it can be difficult to find out who gives what amounts to which elected officials, there are a number of organizations that attempt to keep track of these donations. The Federal Election Commission website, mentioned earlier, contains detailed information on campaign donations and expenditures. Other useful websites are:
Ad Hawk -- Now there's an app for that! Ad Hawk is a free mobile app that allows you to identify political ads as they air and immediately learn about who is behind them. Want to know who is spending money to influence your vote? The app provides valuable contextual information about the candidate, super PAC and issues ads airing on TV and radio this election year.
The Center for Responsive Politics -- Opensecrets.org
The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan, non-profit research organization that collects data on financial contributions to candidates and elected officials and researches the effects of this money on elections and public policy. The Center publishes reports and compiles data for the news media, researchers and the general public. Opensecrets.org, the Center’s website, is a comprehensive and detailed resource for voters interested in finding out who contributes to politicians on both the state and national level.Along with features such as "Who's Funding Your Rep?" and "Compare Candidates" this site offers a free download of its "Dollarocracy" app (through the iTunes Store) that allows you to figure out "who pays the bill for all those TV ads and political campaigns for Congress every election year..." with additional information such as how Washington works, contribution profiles for every member of Congress, and every major industry and influence group - all right on your smart phone.
The Institute on Money in State Politics -- Follow the Money
The Institute on Money in State Politics is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that collects data and provides research on campaign finance at the state level. The Institute develops databases, available to the public online, which analyze the information to determine the role campaign money plays in public policy in the states. The Institute also publishes studies and provides information to the media, academic researchers, and state groups working on campaign finance issues.While it is possible to search by candidate name or contributor name, perhaps the easiest and quickest way to access their data is to select Tennessee from the drop-down menu under State-At-A-Glance. From there, you can find data on contributions and contributors to candidates and office-holders in all levels of state government.
Tennessee Political Parties
Tennessee Democratic Party
Janet Meek, Regional Field Director, East Tennessee. Email: Janet@tndp.orgTennessee Republican Party
Washington County Republican Contacts
Green Party of Tennessee
Libertarian Party of Tennessee
More state party organizations have elaborate websites with useful as well as partisan information. Listed here are two of the better developed political party websites. There are a number of other political parties with Tennessee affiliates. Constitution Party of Tennessee and the Reform Party of Tennessee.