Research Guides: 2024 Voter Education Resources: Issues & Candidates

Becoming Informed on Issues and Cadidates

Find facts and viewpoints on issues including and beyond what's currently trending. Using the Issues & Perspectives sources can help you understand the complex issues that matter to you.

You may be surprised to find that you ballot has numerous other candidates and ballot measures (often referenda on state or local laws or budgets), in addition to the two largest parties' candidates.

Issues & Perspectives

Gale Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
Discover pro/con perspectives from authoritative voices. Opposing Viewpoints in Context is the premier online resource covering today’s hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration, to violent video games. Opposing Viewpoints in Context is cross-curricular and supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes.
Global Issues in Context This link opens in a new window
Empower students to understand topics from a non-U.S. perspective. Designed to support global awareness, Global Issues in Context ties together news, perspectives, reference materials, primary source documents, audio, video, statistics, and more. Through these tools, students are empowered to critically analyze and understand the most important issues of the modern world.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Quick and comprehensive access to more than 10,000 full-text business, legal, and news sources.

* Please use FIREFOX or SAFARI browser *
US Major Dailies This link opens in a new window
Collection of national newspapers: Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Public Opinion Polls

Quinnipiac University Poll
Frequently cited by journalists, public officials and researchers, the independent Quinnipiac University Poll regularly surveys residents nationwide and polls in more than a dozen states about political races, state and national elections, and issues of public concern, such as schools, taxes, transportation, municipal services and the environment.

Roper Center iPOLL Databank This link opens in a new window
The largest collection of poll data available - 1936 to present, all U.S. polling firms, broad topical coverage of opinions and behavior on social issues, politics, pop culture, international affairs, and more. U.S. and international datasets are available for immediate download.

Candidates & Ballot Measures

Vote411
Enter your address and get information on all the candidates and offices on your ballot. the information is added as the ballots are finalized, usually a month before the election. Site is provided by the League of Women Voters.
Ballotpedia Sample Ballot Lookup
Look up candidates using your address. Sign up for optional e-mail updates for your ballot. Provides information on all candidates in every upcoming election occurring within the 100 most-populated cities in the U.S., plus all federal and statewide elections, including ballot measures, nationwide. Additional local ballot measures may also be included. Tribal elections are not included. Ballotpedia is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.
Connecticut Town Ballots
Official sample ballots by town. Available in late October.

Connecticut State Government

Home is in another state? Use any search engine to find similar sites in your state's government.

Connecticut General Assembly
Helps you interact with the state legislature, provides guides that explain legislative procedures, bill tracking, meeting schedules, and links to live streams of legislature and committee meetings.
Office of Legislative Research
Provides nonpartisan, objective research for all 187 members of the Connecticut General Assembly. Offers plain-language bill summaries and reports on bills' impact and reports on major issues.
OpenConnecticut
OpenConnecticut provides access to key government financial information, including budgeted vs. actual spending, payments made by the state, and a DIY revenue calculator to see how tax changes could change state revenue.

Thanks to State Representative Mitch Bolinsky for promoting these sites to constituents in Newtown and Sandy Hook.