JULY 28, 2004

The Michigan Voter Information Center, a popular online election resource, has a new home at www.michigan.gov/vote, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land announced today.

"Voters need information that is accurate and accessible," Land said. "We’re offering it in a single, comprehensive source designed for your convenience. It’s just one more way that we’re using technology to better serve our customers."

Land commented this valuable site would not have been possible without the help of Vince Keenan, founder and president of Publius.org.

"I appreciate Mr. Keenan’s commitment to this worthwhile project, and I encourage voters to take advantage of the information that is now at their fingertips. A more active and informed citizenry means a healthier America," Land said.

The state’s official Voter Information Center is a joint project between the Department of State and Publius.org. Now entering its third year, the Voter Information Center offers Michigan residents unprecedented access to election details. State office information is available for all counties. Local information is also available for the most populous counties.

The Voter Information Center addresses the reasons voters often feel disenfranchised from the election process, by providing voters with:

• Information about their voter registration status. Voters can instantly find out if they are registered to vote, and where they are registered to vote
• The address of their polling place, directions, and a map.
• Ballot information, including statewide candidates, and ballot proposals.
• Easy-to-follow instructions for using the voting equipment at their polling place.
• Updated election results.
• Links to candidate Web pages.

"We are facing important decisions this year," Keenan said. "Under Secretary Land’s guidance, the project has expanded to include a pilot program to distribute primary information down to the local level for 20 counties. This is just the beginning. This fall, we’ll have every local election, plus a few new features. It’ll be the coolest voter information center ever."

Publius.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded in 1996 to explore the impact of the Internet on democracy and develop Web-based tools to enhance the exchange of ideas and information.

As part of this initiative, the Michigan Voter Information Center was launched in partnership with the Department of State in 2002. It has been recognized as an international standard of voter education.

> Publius.org Contact:  Vince Keenan, Publius, Inc. - (313) 510-1911

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