With another election day behind us, it is time once again to examine not just the results but the process. In the past few years it has become increasingly obvious that the manner of getting information to voters is outdated and ineffective. That is why Google and the Pew Center for the States partnered to create the Voting Information Project.

Their interest is based not on the winners and losers of elections, but on whether or not the average voter was able to vote without having the impulse to pull all their hair out. According to the project website, in 2008, 56% of the phone calls to Election Protection were because voters couldn't find their polling place, while 33% had problems with registration. Those kinds of numbers look good to the wig industry.

Despite efforts by the Voting Information Project, local and state governments, and other organizations, these problems didn't just go away over the last year. In September the state of Maryland held their local elections and had to change some of their polling places at the last minute. Maryland made every effort to get that information to the voters but the changes were still "confusing people" according to mayoral candidate Josh Cohen.

In Washington state, a writer and new resident assumed that she could register to vote at her polling place on election day like she could in her previous state. In Ann Bauer's words, "Things are different here in Middle Earth: You must, apparently, register eight days in advance to enjoy the privilege of the vote." It's not an uncommon situation. If a smart politically responsible voter is unable to cast a ballot simply due to a lack of information, then this project is desperately needed.

The Voting Information Project wants to answer three basic questions that have been consistently asked over the last several years: 

• How do I register or find out whether I am registered?
• Where do I vote?
• What's on the ballot?

To that end they wish to make "official voting information provided by election officials both widely and equally available to the information providers - media, civic groups, search engines and political parties - to whom Americans turn. In this way, we can best ensure that voters will more easily find answers to these three basic questions."

The Voting Information Project has put together a Google gadget that potentially could do exactly that. The free download enables voters to plug in their address, hit search, and then be directed to their exact polling place with maps and directions included. If you want more information, just click on details to find the candidates and issues on the ballot. 

Imagine that your local paper prints a story online about an issue or a candidate featured on an upcoming ballot. As you read the story, you find that they have highlighted a VIP icon (for Voting Information Project) that when clicked on provides you with all the information that you need to register and vote in your state. Wouldn't that be helpful?

Something very close to that happened in Virginia in the last few days. You won't find the gadget on local newspaper websites, but visit Virginia's state board of elections and you'll find it prominently placed. Organizations such as NARAL and the Virginia AFLCIO also placed the useful gadget on their websites along with some of the candidates.

Overall progress for the Voting Information Project has been glacial, however. So far only ten states have adopted the principles that VIP espouses, and Virginia is the only government that's managed to put the Google gadget in action. It will require the efforts of everyone to move this project forward.