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You know where to vote, right? (If not, here are some tools)

Voting, file photo, used under creative commons

Voting, file photo, used under creative commons

So it's that day, right? Election Day. And you're registered to vote, and you're  planning to vote, right?

Only you're not exactly sure where your polling place is - cause it's been two years, or you moved or you've never voted before or ... whatever.

Oakland Local urges everyone reading this post to get out there and cast your vote if you're able. And if you're as sometimes absent-minded and brain dead as I can be, or you need some resources to help you go to the right spot to vote the first time, before you say "chuck it"  - or whatever you'd actually say - we've got some nifty online tools for you that will help you find your polling place semi-instantly.

This one will make you laugh

Where's my fu--ing polling place isn't kidding around, it will find where you need to go with out making any jokes about it. (So, why are you laughing?) Not your parents' poll-finder tool.

This one will make you smile

Google, of course, has the ultimate easy online voting polling place locator tool. Just got to google.com/elections/ed/us/vote and type in your address and poof! Your polling place comes right up, with the option of directions and more.

This one will make you sleepy, but it works like a charm

Smartvoter and The League of Women Voters should get sainthood in our parthenon; and this is yet another reason why - an efficient database that pulls the polling places, the bills and the candidates all together in an easy-to load page. As beautiful as any web design from 1996, which makes it very 2013.

So, now you have no excuses, right? And you're voting?

Oakland Local will be monitoring local races and coverage, so check back for reflections, analysis and more. We're going to leave the election night coverage to others with bigger teams and more traditional aspirations, but we will all be watching - just like you.

About Susan Mernit

Susan Mernit is the co-founder of Oakland Local. She is also a circuit rider for The Community Information Challenge, a program of The John S and James L Knight Foundation, a popular speaker and facilitator, and a consultant to media, non-profit and community organizations. Susan lives in North Oakland with a rescue dog named Cazzie, a little dog named Violet, a fat grey cat named Gracie, a very cool housemate, and a yard in serious need of soil remediation. She is an aspiring gardener, a long-time blogger & entrepreneur, and a recovering journalist who's found home in Oakland.