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''Law Voter Center site hopes to inform those headed to the voting booths''

Image 1. Voters wait in line at a polling place. Photo by: Hill Street Studios/Getty Images WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans are questioning the information they are getting about this year's elections. Many don't think it can be completely trusted. One group thinks the solution is more information. They want to put it all in one easy-to-find place.

USAFacts, a nonprofit group, launched a new online tool on Thursday, September 27. It is called the Voter Center. The group hopes it will inform Americans as they prepare to head to the voting booths.

The 2018 midterm elections include hundreds of congressional, state and local primary races that have already taken place. The culmination will be the November 6 general election. The November election will decide many state and local races. It will also determine which of the major political parties will control Congress. Currently, Republicans have a majority in Congress. Depending on the election results, control of Congress could shift. Then, Democrats would would have the majority.

The Voter Center website collects data on several topics. They include education, health care, guns, taxes and the environment. It allows users to enter their ZIP code or street address. Then they can see where candidates in their district or state stand on those issues.

All The Information In One Place "There are plenty of places where you can see a candidate's positions. But there's never really been a place to see what candidates are saying" and information next to each other, said Richard Coffin. He is the leader of USAFacts. "People can really look at candidates' positions and decide whether things can change based on the data."

Image 2. USAFacts conducted a survey of 2,501 adults. Graphic: Newsela Staff Image 2. USAFacts conducted a survey of 2,501 adults. Graphic: Newsela Staff

For example, in the immigration section, users will find the population of immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally. It also shows visas given to visitors by the government. A search bar on the side of the page lets the user see positions of the U.S. House and Senate candidates on the issues.

USAFacts was founded by former Microsoft leader Steve Ballmer in 2016. The group did a survey. It found that most Americans think information about the election is questionable.

The online survey found that 4 out of every 5, or 80 percent, of adults were concerned that election information is biased. They worry it is presented with a slanted view.

Three-fourths, or 75 percent, said they were worried the news stories they see are just part of selling ads.

Voter Fears And Concerns More than 60 percent said they feared foreign governments were affecting election information. This comes after Russian interference in the 2016 race. The concern was higher among Democrats, at 79 percent. Republicans were at 45 percent.

USAFacts hopes the Voter Center can help. Coffin said that 61 percent of people in the poll said they used data to inform their vote. Eighty percent said they would like to see candidate positions with data about election issues. More than half, 63 percent, said they'd be more likely to vote for candidates who used data to explain their positions.

"I think it's up to politicians, the media and third-party groups to get back to basics," Coffin said. He wants them to show people unbiased information based on facts, he said.

More than one-third in the survey said that finding information on candidates and issues was difficult.

For those who seek out election news, TV is the top source. Asked where they received information, 52 percent of those surveyed said local TV news. Forty-four percent said they watch network news. The same number, 44 percent, said they watch cable news.

News And Social Media Is Biased People had concerns of bias overall. However, they were highest with cable news and social media. More than 70 percent of people said information from those sources was biased. By comparison, 48 percent said local TV news was biased, the lowest of any media source. Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say TV and print news were biased.

The survey also found that many Americans don't know which candidates will be on their ballots in November. Many also didn't know where the candidates stand on the issues.

Some people didn't know which district of Congress they lived in and which candidates were running. Just over half of people surveyed said they knew.

Respondents called health care, jobs and taxes the most important issues this year. About 60 percent said they knew what candidates thought on those topics.

The survey included 2,501 adults. It was done online from August 30 through September 4.