Sacramento, CA - Voter’s Edge California, the most comprehensive source of online voting information in the state, announced its continued partnership with two public media stations, KPBS and KPCC, and other community organizations to provide voters with unbiased, in-depth information on candidates and ballot measures down to the local level.
To use the tool, voters simply type in their home address, and a personalized page is returned with the contests that will appear on the user's ballot, supplemented with endorsements, top contributors, news articles, videos, biographies and more. Voters can mark their choices and email or print their selections to bring to the polls. “Californians face a crucial but difficult task in wading through a crowded ballot. Voters deserve a tool that gives them everything they need to know, in one place,” said Suzanne Marmion, KPBS Director of News & Editorial Strategy. “KPBS is proud to be a partner on this guide as a way to empower Californians with the facts and trusted journalism they need to make up their own minds.”
Voter’s Edge California is a joint project of MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund (LWVCEF). A translated version of the online guide is also available in Spanish, with valuable information on upcoming elections and detailed translations of state and federal data. "Voter's Edge California makes it easy to find comprehensive, unbiased election information, even for local elections," said Daniel G. Newman, President and Co-Founder of MapLight. "We're thrilled to be able to help voters be confident in the candidates and ballot measures they choose to vote for in 2018."
Voters in California will head to the polls for the primary election on June 5, but many voters—especially those in the five Voter's Choice Act counties—will be able to cast their ballots much earlier. The partnerships with public media groups and community based organizations such as the California State Library, the Future of California Elections, California Voter Foundation, Disability Rights California, California HeadStart, the California PTA, California Common Cause, and local Leagues of Women Voters across the state will help Voter's Edge disseminate vital, accurate information to everyone, regardless of when they choose to vote.
“We’re providing the antidote to partisan, inaccurate, and misleading information this election. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, and dozens of community and media partners, Voter's Edge puts knowledge and power exactly where it belongs—in the hands of California voters," said Melissa Breach, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of California Education Fund.
Voter's Edge California offers free partnerships to community organizations interested in expanding local and state election information in their communities, as well as free embeddable ballot lookup tools that can be added to any website. For more information on partnering with Voter's Edge California, contact Elizabeth Leslie at eleslie [at] lwvc.org or 916-442-7215.
Impact
Voter's Edge was used by more than 1.8 million Californians in 2016, with more than 100,000 people viewing the Spanish-language version of the voter guide. 91 percent of surveyed users reported that Voter's Edge made them feel more confident about making the right choices on Election Day, and 93 percent of respondents reported feeling more knowledgeable about the candidates and initiatives on their ballots after using the site. Voter's Edge also had a significant impact on users' voting behavior in down-ballot state and local races—something that is especially vital in non-presidential elections, where turnout is often low due to a lack of readily available information. About Voter's Edge
Voter's Edge California, a joint project of MapLight and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund, was made possible by generous support from the James Irvine Foundation, the Kaphan Foundation, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.