Microsoft rocks the vote -- Bing Elections helps voters stay informed

One of the greatest benefits of living in a free country such as the USA is the ability to vote. Even in this country, we aren't far removed from a time where women and non-whites were not allowed to vote -- an embarrassment. With that said, a bigger embarrassment is people that do not vote at all. Don't get me wrong, people have the right not to vote, and it is sometimes discouraging to always choose the lesser of two evils, but when you think of the people that fought and died for your right to vote, it is almost a slap in their face to not do it.

If you don't feel you have enough knowledge about the candidates, that is understandable; there are far too many distractions, such as Walking Dead, Twitter and working very long hours. Between work and media consumption, there just is not enough time to research election details. Today, Microsoft wants to make it easier for people to learn about the election with the all-new Bing Elections; a one-stop hub of information.

"As the U.S. approaches one of the most hotly contested political seasons in years, Bing has launched a new election experience at Bing.com/election that helps you get 360-degree view -- from local to national -- into Elections 2014. Bing brings you the latest news from the right, left and center perspectives, up-to-date predictions across governor and national congressional races, a personalized Voter Guide that includes side by side comparisons of candidates’ positions as well as a tracker to find the nearest polling sites in your area", says Derrick Connell, Corporate Vice President, Bing.

Connell further explains, "Politics aside, our goal with Bing Elections and the personalized Voter Guide is to arm voters so they can make decisions based on the most comprehensive and best information available. Whether it's the senate race at the national level or a proposition affecting your city, we're hoping to give you the confidence to make the most out of your vote".

What makes this especially cool is that Microsoft is not pushing an agenda or either side of the aisle. Bing is all about information, and Elections is simply a new way of providing unbiased information to potential voters. My favorite aspect in this regard is "My Ballot" which cuts out the noise and provides the user with information that pertains to them. For example, I live in New York, so I would care about New York candidates -- having to wade through state election information for places like Wyoming or Alaska, which arguably doesn't apply to me, is simply a distraction.

Bing explains My Ballot by saying, "based on your location Bing will display everything that will appear on your ballot as well as the location of the nearest voting station in your area. You can compare candidates, dig into propositions and even see predictions from Bing as to which candidate has a higher chance of winning the elections". Very cool.

Regardless of how you vote -- Democrat, Republican, or something else -- being informed is key to making your vote count. Sure, you can vote for whoever is the tallest, most attractive or who you would most likely want to have a beer with, but wouldn't you rather vote for the candidate that most matches your ideals and beliefs? If so, check out Bing Elections here.