There are many online resources available to help you learn about and become a registered voter. What we have assembled here is a list of trusted resources dedicated to improving access to voter registration and information, sample ballots, and unbiased candidate and ballot proposal information.
Michigan Voter Information Center
Provided by the State of Michigan, this comprehensive resource provides the latest, most accurate information regarding voter information in our state and a secure method to directly register to vote online or apply for an absentee ballot. You can also find the following information at this site:
- Check your registration status
- Upcoming election dates
- Find your Clerk
- Candidates and full text of the ballot proposals
- Find your polling place or ballot drop boxes
- Special circumstances
- Election results
- Voter forms & resources in a variety of languages
Local Government Links
Kalamazoo County and the City of Portage can provide connection to local Clerks’ offices or more specific information that may be of interest to those residing in the Library District, such as:
Vote 411.org
Launched by the League of Women Voters Education Fund, this site is where you can get a sample ballot with links to the online equivalent of the information contained in the print version of the League of Women Voters Guide that we generally have available at the library when it is published. You can also link to the specific League of Women Voters site for the Kalamazoo Area where you can view, print or download a pdf of their latest Voter Guide. This site provides factual, non-partisan information with general and state-specific information for:
- Voter Qualifications
- Registration deadlines
- Absentee ballots
- Early voting options
- Election dates
- Candidates & ballot proposals
- ID requirements
- Polling Locations
Ballotpedia.org
A non-profit organization not affiliated with any campaigns or candidates that operates as a digital encyclopedia of American politics and elections. With a staff of more than 50 professional writers and researchers, Ballotpedia presents reliable, non-partisan content that includes:
- Sample ballot tool
- Ballot Proposals & Explanations
- Voting & Election Information
- News & Analysis
- Trending topics
- Information for candidates
Other Resources – Be an Informed Voter
MichiganVotes.org – A project of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational institution with the purpose of providing easy-to-find information about past and current Michigan legislation, including voting records and bill analysis.
FactCheck.org – A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania as a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. Primarily focused on presidential candidates and Senate midterm elections. In off-election years, their focus is on the action in Congress.
Newsguard – A for-profit company, initially funded by the Knight Foundation and Cox Investment Holdings, that provides a browser extension to evaluate reviews and rate media and information sources. Using a 100-point scale based on nine criteria to create a grade for accuracy and bias, Newsguard provides the reasoning to explain how they arrive at their green or red shield ratings.