How I vote down my ballot.
Yep. It’s about time we voted again (Did you notice?). There’s obviously one big election about to happen - but as you’ll see your ballot will have way more than one question.
So what do you do? A few minutes of online research can help you make the most informed decisions.
You can choose to vote down ballot by party for local offices, but what if there is more than one Democrat running for Judge?
There are a few resources I use to decide who to vote for all the state and local offices and measures!
I recommend:
Google it.
Building a campaign website is literally the easiest thing in the entire planet. Seeing the platform, some photos and endorsements for a candidate can be very helpful in deciding who you should vote for.
Pros: You can access all of the information a candidate wants you to see in one place, on their website. Check the ‘news’ tab in Google as well to see if anything of note has happened recently.
Cons: The website is biased because they made it, but it’s a good first look at the candidate’s stance.
Look at endorsements.
Most interest groups and publications put together an endorsement ticket. Check your city paper, your local Democratic committee or a trusted group (I always look for Union or Planned Parenthood endorsements).
Pros: Personally, I trust Planned Parenthood to have my best interests in mind. I know everything is political but if I’m looking for a quick guide a trusted lobbying organization is a good way to get the basics.
Cons: Listen, I’ve been in the Democratic party, endorsements aren’t always ‘fair’. There will be endorsements of people whose ‘turn’ it is - or someone who has been in office forever and is making it really hard for a new progressive voice (AOC beat a 10 term Democrat, remember?). But if nothing else it can help guide you.
You can also:
Check your Voter Information Guide.
California sends these out weeks before the election and it contains information and pros and cons to every measure on your ballot.
Pros: The issues are laid out and you can make your own decision based on what is listed.
Cons: The press teams for and against are the ones who are writing the information, so of course they are biased and want you to vote their way. It’s always good to do a second sweep online.
Look into any campaign mail you’ve received.
I’m sure you’ve received TONS of snail mail & texts & phone calls & more emails than you can send to spam.
Pros: You might not know about the election that the mail is referring to so it will bring it to your attention.
Cons: It’s campaign mail, so it’s biased and paid for by interest groups and sometimes scary and mean.
Pay attention to trusted friends & family.
If someone is passionate about voting on something they will talk about it!
Pros: If it’s someone you trust you should listen!
Pro #2: - it’s almost over and we can get back to sharing pictures of puppies.
Cons: It’s not always party vs party so you could get into debates with people who you usually agree with (which also could be a pro!)
