AOL Launches Election Coverage

America Online launched its election year coverage Wednesday by rolling out a multimedia package focusing on both local and national races.

Among the voter resources offered by the Internet arm of Time Warner is a polling place locator that lets users enter their zip code to find voting places and driving directions.

AOL members can show support for candidates through campaign “buddy icons” and participate in online debates and a state-by-state “virtual primary poll.”

“AOL’s Election Guide 2004 is more than an informational source — it is an open forum where voters can create their own election experiences and campaign online for their candidates,” Lewis D’Vorkin, AOL Editor-in-Chief for News and Sports, said in a statement.

There is also campaign coverage and analysis, some of it from Time Warner media outlets. Among the sources tapped for content are: ABC News’ The Note, Associated Press, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN, NYTimes.com, USATODAY.com and Time.

The election guide also features weekly commentary by Mike McCurry, Scott Reed, Jonah Goldberg, Arianna Huffington and others

AOL will also offer video interviews by George Stephanopoulos, ABC’s Sunday morning news show anchor and political humor from Bill Maher’s Real Time HBO series and Comedy Central’ s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

AOL’s Younger Voters area incorporates content from Rock the Vote, an effort to register teens and young adults to vote.