romney

Obama returns to Reddit to drum up last-minute votes

With mere hours left before the polls close, President Obama turned to Reddit for a last-minute push to round up support for his re-election bid.

After making headlines in August when his question-and-answer session overwhelmed servers running the popular link-sharing site, the president returned to Reddit this afternoon to remind voters to vote.

"I'm checking in because polls will start closing in this election in just a few hours, and I need you to vote," Obama said in his post. "Millions of Americans have stepped up in support of this campaign over the last 19 months, and today we decide what the next four years look like -- but only if we show up." … Read more

The 404 1,159: Where we challenge you to a vote-off (podcast)

Tune into today's show to hear an update to The 404's Halloween Samsung Galaxy SIII Giveaway Contest! With all the chaos of last week, we're editing some of the rules (see full list at the bottom of this page), but here's how to enter:

Follow @the404. Tweet out using #404S3 a photo and quick description why you need a new phone. Your photo MUST include your Twitter handle handwritten in the image. The submission deadline is Sunday 11/11 at Midnight ET.… Read more

Pennsylvania e-voting machine casts wrong ballot. Oops

An electronic voting machine in Pennsylvania was briefly taken offline today -- and apparently reconfigured and placed back in service -- after a YouTube video showed evidence of voting irregularities.

The video, which received a flurry of attention after being posted at Reddit.com, appeared to show an attempted vote for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama being reflected as a vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Republicans have also warned of voting machine glitches going in the other direction. In a letter (PDF) to state voting officials last week, the GOP's top lawyer said the party has received … Read more

Google's doodle tells users where to vote

Google's latest doodle may not be as interactive as some in the past, but it's pretty appropriate for the day.

The doodle follows an Election Day theme, directing people where to vote when they click on the Google search page image.

The first link listed is a box for users to enter their addresses for where they're registered to vote. Clicking "get my info" sends voters to Google's politics & elections page, with details about the user's polling place and ballot summary, as well as links to "insights," YouTube Live, and other election-related information. … Read more

Can Nate Silver and friends nail their presidential predictions?

Anyone who's even remotely interested in this year's contest between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has no doubt seen countless polls, many of which have shown the incumbent in the lead, while many others have given the nod to the challenger.

In recent weeks, many headlines have declared the election a tossup. A common narrative being spread in newspapers, on blogs, on social media, and on TV nationwide, is that no one will have any idea who will be elected president until all the counting is done because the race is simply too close … Read more

CNET Tech Voters' Guide 2012: Romney vs. Obama on the issues

Technology topics can mark a rare bipartisan area of political agreement: Both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama say they would make cybersecurity a priority, and both like to talk up government funding of basic research.

If you look a bit more closely, however, differences emerge. They're perhaps most marked over federal regulation, where the two major parties have long-standing disagreements, but also exist on topics like WikiLeaks, copyright legislation, and whether to levy a new tax on broadband providers.

Keep reading for CNET's 2012 Tech Voters' Guide, in which we highlight where the four candidates -- we've … Read more

Twitter's Election Day 2012 event page is live

There's no shortage of places to catch up on the latest Election Day coverage, but Twitter is aiming to make it easier for political junkies to get news by creating a one-stop shop Election 2012 event page.

Curated by Twitter, the page is loaded with tweets from the presidential candidates, political parties, and news sources such as the Electoral College, CNN, and the Washington Post.

"It highlights tweets from candidates and their staffers, media, and other key players so you can hear directly from those close to the action," Rachael Horwitz, Twitter's senior manager of communications, … Read more

Our favorite free apps for Election Day 2012

Weathered by debates and endless political advertisements? We're in the home stretch of the 2012 U.S. election season now. Whether you've already voted or are still mulling politicians and propositions, there are plenty of apps to tap for an up-to-the minute perspective on the various battles.

Scan our brief list of mobile apps that can help you vote and stay in tune with the rapid-fire developments sure to occur tomorrow. Got a favorite app you're leaning on for election information? Let us know in the comments section. … Read more

Google has customized results for Obama, but not Romney

Google isn't treating searches related to presidential candidates fairly, a new report charges.

The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that it commissioned a study on the way in which search results related to President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are displayed on Google. The study found that when users search for "Obama" or "Romney," Google displays standard results. Other related searches, however, are treated differently.

For example, the Journal tried to search for topics ranging from Iran to Medicare. Those who had already searched for "Obama" found that their results were customized to … Read more

Facebook wants you -- to vote

When you log in to Facebook on Election Day you will likely be greeted by a note reminding you of your civic duty.

The social network is expected to post messages for its voting-age members in the U.S., as it did in 2010 when it sent out a "Today is Election Day" note to the 61 million users who were of voting age. The note included a link to polling places and an "I Voted" button that would let your friends know you went to the polls.

When you decide to broadcast that you voted, … Read more