Are You Registered to Vote?
The Central Rappahannock Regional Library encourages you to register to vote and then go to the polls and cast your ballot. You can check the status of your registration here.
Here are some resources to help you understand issues, contact your representatives, and exercise your civic muscle.
Candidates and Parties | Voter Registration | Issues & Commentary | Keeping Up with the News | Legislation | Links of Interest
Candidates and Parties
To keep up to date with pending elections, visit the State Board of Elections List of Candidates.
The Green Party of Virginia
Independent Greens of Virginia
Independent Party
Virginia Democratic party
Virginia Libertarian party
Virginia Republican party
Project Vote Smart - Non-partisan Web site providing access to candidate information including past voting records. You can also find more information about party platforms.
Voter Registration - Polling Places or Where Do I Vote?
Registrars' offices are located in the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Westmoreland. You must register to vote in the county of your residence.
You are eligible to vote if you are a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Virginia, at least 18 years of age (or you will be by the next general election), and/or have had the right to vote restored subsequent to a felony conviction or adjudication of mental incompetence.
Fredericksburg - Polling places are located at Hugh Mercer Elementary School (Ward 1), the Community Center (Ward 2), Walker-Grant Middle School (Ward 3), and Old Walker-Grant School (Ward 4). Call the Registrar at 372-1030 for more information.
Stafford - Polling places are located throughout the county. Call the Registrar at 658-4000 or visit their Web site.
Spotsylvania - Polling places are located throughout the county. Call the Registrar at 582-7124.
Westmoreland - Polling places are located throughout the county. Call the Registrar at 493-8898 or visit their Web site.
Virginia State Board of Elections - Find the place to register and vote in your locality in Virginia
Issues and Commentary
You can track issues and commentary in the mainstream news or you might use one of these sites to focus on political commentary.
Virginia
Election Information
Vist the State Board of Elections to read about proposed amendments or other ballot issues.
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball
Intrigued? The brainchild of UVA Center for Politics director Larry Sabato, the Crystal Ball started off as single pre-election seminars featuring the major presidential, gubernatorial, and Congressional contests from across the nation. The site has quickly grown into one of the most accurate, comprehensive election analysis resources on the web.
Nationally
Common Cause
A nonprofit, nonpartisan citizen's lobbying organization promoting open, honest, and accountable government. Track contributions, political news, and elections.
OMBWatch
OMB Watch is a nonprofit research and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting government accountability and citizen participation in public policy decisions. This mission centers on four main areas: the federal budget; regulatory policy; public access to government information; and policy participation by nonprofit organizations. This page highlights current legislation that might be of interest to you; you can also find voter registration forms, information about candidates, voting records of politicians, and more.
Keeping Up with the News
Find a news channel or paper that speaks to your interests. While the "press" is often tauted as the "liberal media," you'll be able to find a range of voices from conservative to something more liberal.
CNN
Ubiquitous headline news channel.
Christian Science Monitor
"In an age of corporate conglomerates dominating news media, the Monitor combination of church ownership, a public-service mission, and commitment to covering the world (not to mention the fact that it was founded by a woman shortly after the turn of the century, when US women didn't yet have the vote!) gives the paper a uniquely independent voice in journalism." [from Christian Science Monitor]
Fox News
Quite the media conglomerate, available on network, cable, and the Web.
The Free Lance-Star
Local paper's coverage of events in the news.
National Public Radio
NPR is an internationally acclaimed producer and distributor of noncommercial news, talk, and entertainment programming. A privately supported, not-for-profit, membership organization, NPR serves more than 750 independently operated, noncommercial public radio stations. Each member station serves local listeners with a distinctive combination of national and local programming." [from NPR]
The New York Times
All the news that's fit to print" is the masthead. Find current U.S. and international news along with Campaign 2004 coverage.
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Free registration to read stories from the State's capital.
The Washington Post
The newspaper of the nation's capital, nation, and world.
The Washington Times
The Times bills itself as America's newspaper.
Tracking Legislation and Who Are My Legislators?
The Federal Register - The official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents. An opportunity to keep informed about public comment deadlines as well as other public notices of the U.S.
Thomas - Federal legislative information on the Internet. Find out what's being considered in Congress now or in the past, text of public laws and bills, voting records, and more. Check out Introducing Thomas! for help in using the site.
Virginia Code and Laws - State legislative information.
Who's My Legislator? (in Virginia) -- Enter your street address, city, and zip to find out who represents you. Includes a handy email link to send them a message.
Contact Elected Officials (in Congress) -- find out who represents you.
Other Links of Interest to Help You Vote
Asia Pacific Islander American Vote - encourages and promotes civic participation of Asian Pacific Islander Americans in the electoral and public policy processes at the national, state and local levels.
Center for Responsive Politics' OpenSecrets - Lists contributions for political candidates beyond the presidential races. Information is drawn from publicly available information filed with the Federal Election Commission.
League of Women Voters - Non-partisan information on democratic process for Virginia. See their DemocracyNet (DNet), an interactive online voter guide with nonpartisan, state-specific election information.
NAACP - Encouraging African-American participation in the democratic process
National Council of La Raza - Encouraging Latino American participation in the democratic process
Virginia State Board of Elections - How Virginians voted in recent elections.
