Video Your Vote: Live On YouTube

Once the polls close today, everyone will be watching for the results. But until those tallies come in, what should you be watching? Well, people voting. Today, online video nuts have the chance to literally show democracy in action — and ensure that no problems occur along the way.

that they’d be partnering for Video Your Vote, and the interactive map is now popping with voting reports. Actively seeking YouTubers’ reports of election malfeasance, the hosting page currently has more than 500 videos mapped by geographic region and indexed by category: Early Voting, Notable Voter, Voting Perspectives, Voter Intimidation, Polling Place Problems and Registration Problems.

On my computer, the interface is a little slow to load but wicked cool otherwise, with a range of quality to the videos that represents the overall YouTube community pretty accurately. ElectionStories08’s interview with student voter Sally Morgan has sound and pacing issues (it really could have used some editing and a more coherent interviewer) but still captures one woman’s point-of-view. Meanwhile, UpTakeVideo’s PSA on right-wing groups intimidating Minnesota voters is more professional-looking; it clearly benefited from having more time to be produced.

The Notable Voter category has some fun spots — that’s how I found MyUrbanReport’s interview with Georgia voter T.I. and video of Chicago resident Barack Obama casting his ballot.

But new videos are constantly being added to the map — I watched the counter jump to 515 from 495 in less than 10 minutes — so it’s really worth exploring on your own. The overall picture painted is that of an excited and passionate electorate, engaged with the process. The bulk of what you’ll find on the site will be man-on-the-street takes on the election and any ensuing difficulties. But that’s what we’re looking for — signs that the system is working for everyone.