Research Guides: Elections &amp; Voting: Researching California Elections

Key Search Words

Search for Books & Articles:

Use the words below to search for useful information in books including eBooks and articles at the MJC Library.

To access eBooks if you're off campus, you'll need to log in using your MJC student ID (without the W) and your six-digit birth date.

elections
elections--United States
elections--California
political campaigns
democracy
voting
political parties

Elected Officials & Candidates

Information in the News

You will find a lot of political and elections news online. Here are some reliable sources for you to use:

Politics - CalMatters
CalMatters is a nonpartisan and nonprofit news organization bringing Californians stories that probe, explain and explore solutions to quality of life issues while holding our leaders accountable.
PolitiFact California
PolitiFact California is a partnership of Capital Public Radio and PolitiFact.com to help you find the truth in politics. Reporters and researchers from the Capital Public Radio examine statements by California elected officials and candidates and anyone else who speaks up on matters of public importance. They research their statements and rate the accuracy on the Truth-O-Meter.
Rough & Tumble: A Snapshot of California Public Policy and Politics
Snapshot of the public policy and politics of California based on the reporting from more than two dozen publications

Using & Finding Books

Why Use Books:

Use books to read broad overviews and detailed discussions of your topic. You can also use books to find primary sources, which are often published together in collections.

Where Do I Find Books?

You'll use the library catalog to search for books, ebooks, articles, and more.

OneSearch (Library Catalog)
OnsSearch provides simple, one-stop searching for books and e-books, videos, articles, digital media, and more.

What if MJC Doesn't Have What I Need?

If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the library catalog, use our interlibrary loan service.

Interlibrary Loan
Borrowing materials from other libraries is simple and free.

Information at the Library

Find Articles:

Use MJC Library databases to find articles and reports to help you explore topics more fully in order to analyze current issues more intelligently.

Access World News This link opens in a new window
Search the full-text of editions of record for local, regional, and national U.S. newspapers as well as full-text content of key international sources. This is your source for The Modesto Bee from January 1989 to the present. Also includes in-depth special reports and hot topics from around the country.
To access The Modesto Bee, limit your search to that publication.
Watch this short video to learn how to find The Modesto Bee.
EBSCOhost Databases This link opens in a new window
Search 22 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. EBSCO databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
Gale Databases This link opens in a new window
Search over 35 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. Gale databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
CQ Researcher Online This link opens in a new window
This is the resource for finding original, comprehensive reporting and analysis to get background information on issues in the news. It provides overviews of topics related to health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy in America.