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With Election Day less than 100 days away, primary season is
winding down and the candidates for the general elections
(Presidential, Congressional, state, and local) in November have
become more apparent. As the choices for November's election
are clearer, how does one go about evaluating the candidates?
Voting is an important civic responsibility and making an informed
choice when voting is essential. Below are some tips and resources
to help you research candidates' positions on issues that are
of importance to you.
First, decide what issues and qualities are most important to
you. You may deem health care, the economy, foreign policy, or
something else most important, but it is essential to evaluate your
priorities and stances before attempting to evaluate the
candidates' positions. Also, think about what personal
qualities you think are important – past experience,
previous leadership or political positions, personality, etc.
Visit the candidates' websites – either their
official website if they already hold office or their campaign
website – to find out their positions. Candidates
generally have an "issues" section where they address
major policy topics.
To research the Presidential candidates, visit the campaign
websites of Barack Obama and Mitt
Romney.
If you do not already know who represents you in Congress,
visit the U.S. House
of Representatives and U.S. Senate websites and search by your zip code
or state to find the Members of Congress representing your state
and district. These official websites can give you an idea of
issues important to each Member and past actions they have taken.
Those running for reelection will also have a separate campaign
website, which can be found by searching for the Member on the
internet. The title of these websites is usually something such as
"Eric Cantor for Congress" or "Tammy Baldwin for
Senate" while the official website will generally have a title
along the lines of "Rep. Eric Cantor,"
"Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin," or "Max Baucus: U.S.
Senator from Montana."
Likewise, to find your state representatives, your state's
official government page should have a search function to find out
who represents you more locally.
To find out who is challenging these incumbents, either search
the internet or visit a site such as the League of Women
Voter's "Vote411" site. Vote411 allows you to enter
your address and find your local, state, federal district numbers,
which can then be used to search for candidates running in those
races.
In addition to checking out issues, official and campaign
websites also usually have a biographical section, which can
provide information on the candidates' previous experience,
family, and civic involvement. These personal factors may also
weigh on your decision.
Look up candidates' records, or any statements they have
made or how they have previously voted, on your selected issues.
This may be harder to find (or may not be possible) if a candidate
has never held elected office before. For current U.S. House and
Senate members, visit Thomas, the Library of Congress' website, to
look up cosponsorship of bills. Additionally, the
"issues" section on both official and campaign websites
can provide information on previous support or opposition and
actions the candidate has taken on an issue. Campaign literature
can also provide insight.
Look to see who has endorsed the candidates. Websites like Open Secrets
also will provide clues as to where candidates' campaign
funding is coming from – possibly from people or
organizations you trust (or disagree with).
Carefully consider what others – opposing candidates,
the news, even your friends and relatives – say about the
candidate. Monitor the news and listen to what others are saying
but be on the lookout for any bias or "spin." Be wary of
any TV ad tactics appealing to emotions – look for any
buried messages about issues beneath the "attacks."
Finally, evaluate and match your findings with the issues and
qualities you outlined as important to you. In some cases, a clear
choice that matches your criteria may be evident early on in your
research, other times a distinction between candidates or one
candidate who obviously identifies with your views may not be as
clear.
Researching candidates does not need to be an extremely time
consuming activity – using the resources and tips above,
look into candidates in as much or as little detail as you feel is
necessary. The important thing is to make a knowledgeable choice
aligned with your values going into the voting booth on November
6th!
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
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