If you didn't cast an early ballot or stroll into a poll Tuesday morning, we've compiled this list of handy digital tools to help you find nearby voting booths and become knowledgeable on candidates and ballot measures.
The resources below are broken down into national, state and local lists, with an emphasis on the races and issues that are likely to have national repercussions.
National
You have several resources to find a voting booth near you.
State Election Websites: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission's clickable map leads to each state's election website, where you'll find polling places, voting times, guides and relevant social media sites. These states, counties and cities offer spiffy online polling place locators (more keep getting added throughout the day): Georgia, Iowa, Maine, Mississippi, New York City, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Los Angeles County, Calif., and Pasco and Sarasota counties, Fla. Some states allow you to register to vote on Election Day while others do not, so be sure to check regulations on your state's election website.
Voting Information Project: This service (VIP) aims to be "the 21st Century transmission line between election administrators and today's voters." It argues that people don't go to government websites. To remedy that, VIP offers voting information and gadgets to help voters. VIP uses "open-data of polling place locations to meet voters where they are online and get more voters to the polls," says VIP spokesman Jordan Raynor. You need to provide only your address to get answers to your questions. Check out the video below or visit VIP's website or Twitter account (@VotingInfo) to learn more about VIP.
Discussion Platform: Ruck.us connects users based on their issues and positions. Ruck.us, which launched in beta in September, is a network that may incite timely conversations during today's elections. The site targets political independents, the apolitical and bipartisan. “You don’t have to be a slave to partisan labels,” Co-founder Raymond Glendening said in a Mashable post in October. “It’s crazy that with the growth of technology we still only have two choices for politics. It’s unnecessary to have to settle for black and white options. If we can change the culture of how people communicate and make this an extra outside-the-party thing, political discourse will get better.”
State and Local
Americans' decisions on Election Day will influence two gubernatorial battles in Kentucky and Mississippi and several congressional races, including one in Oregon where voters in five counties can cast votes on iPads. Also drawing headlines are ballot measures regarding labor, voting and abortion rights. Here are some news stories detailing those topics.
The New York Times: Votes Today May Be Political Barometer for the 2012 Election
The Washington Post: Five Big Questions on Election Day
Politico: A POLITICO Cheat Sheet
The Los Angeles Times: What to Watch For on Election Day 2011
USA Today: Voters Go To Polls in Off-Year Elections
CNN: What Election Day 2011 Could Tell Us About 2012
Mayoral contests in major cities are on tap in Baltimore, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and San Francisco (have you seen candidate Ed Lee's funny campaign video filled with tech luminaries?). Here are news-related Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep an eye on in each of those areas for news, analysis and results.
In Baltimore: Twitter | Facebook
In Houston: Twitter | Facebook
In Indianapolis: Twitter | Facebook
In Philadelphia: Twitter | Facebook
In Phoenix: Twitter | Facebook
In Salt Lake City: Twitter | Facebook
In San Francisco: Twitter | Facebook
What Digital Resources Do You Use?