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What do you do on a ballot if you don't know anything about a local candidate or judge?
- Thread starter TaySan
- Start date
Usually the parties themselves publish or distribute a guide to "non partisan" candidates or those in low profile races. I just follow that for the Dems when I can't find details about the candidate directly.
Google their name with the position and state where they are running. You should be able to find campaign pages, social media accounts, ballotpedia information and other key resources
Please do this for every candidate.
Please do this for every candidate.
At least in my state we have a voter's pamphlet that includes things like stated platforms of the candidates, written statements, lists of endorsing groups. If someone doesn't share any of that it's unlikely I'll vote for them. If I truly can't find out anything about any candidate I probably won't vote at all in that category but that's pretty rare thankfully.
Don't you get a voter's guide in the mail? Every candidate has something in there.
I mean, I did this last night (spent more than an hour) and could barely find anything notable on the judges that were up to be retained, aside from their bios (where they went to school, where they worked prior to being a judge) and who appointed them. Not nearly enough to make any real informed decisions about them. Only one judge did I have an opinion based on substance about and that was because someone wrote an op-ed against them.
My sister and I had this a lot with state elections recently. Some candidates had little to no information about them, so we'd review everyone going against them.
Try ballotpedia, googling their names, and just looking up any kinds of ads on youtube. Some even have facebook pages. There were cases where we found little more than a youtube video introducing the candidate but their competitors had a dearth of info. If you can't find anything and don't feel comfortable voting for them or just leaving it blank or write someone in.
My impression is that if they don't care enough to get their name and stances out there, why should I vote for them?
FOR JUDGES:
Check with your state's bar association. For instance Iowa's Bar Association had a 2020 review/report on all the judges and gave them scoring on a variety of things. It's what helped me out today when I was filling out my ballot before signing, sealing, and turning it into my county's election office.
Edit: edited for clarification.
Check with your state's bar association. For instance Iowa's Bar Association had a 2020 review/report on all the judges and gave them scoring on a variety of things. It's what helped me out today when I was filling out my ballot before signing, sealing, and turning it into my county's election office.
Edit: edited for clarification.
OP
OP
My state had a million judges on the ballot. :( Mother and I googled everyone of them and we voted no for everyone that was appointed by GOV Ducey at the least. And the ones we couldn't find anything at all we just voted no.
if you know which party you support, I am 100% certain your county or state party will tell you who they recommend. in the absence of knowing more, please at least look for that.
Yeah, sometimes there's very little on judges and some other positions. Many have websites, but not all.
Try looking for your state's Democrat party website, or maybe other local political groups who you agree with, and see who they've endorsed.
I usually vote for the woman/person of color or the person not already in office.
I try to take time to learn about local candidates especially if they are going to be a judge or sherrif etc.
I try to take time to learn about local candidates especially if they are going to be a judge or sherrif etc.
Local elections are super important. Google them for past decisions or moves. I love having my ballot at home to learn on my own time.
If I haven't heard of the judge, then I assume they're doing a good enough job to be retained. I make it a point to know the down ballot candidates, but if I truly didn't know any of them, I'd skip that race. I used to write my name in, but when I won as a write in candidate, I realized how much work write in votes are for the election officials.
Do research, ask friends, and see what the organizations you're involved with think about those judges.
If you're using a mail-in ballot then you have no excuse for not voting for every office once you educate yourself.
If you're using a mail-in ballot then you have no excuse for not voting for every office once you educate yourself.
Can't believe (well actually can) other states aren't like Washington. We get a voter's pamphlet in the mail that includes every initiative and arguments for and against them. Every candidate has the opportunity to let us know their experience, education, community service and give a statement. It makes voting far easier, especially for low-profile elected offices.
Google search, though for this election and the last one, I'm just voting blue and dealing with the ramifications of that later.
When I lived in WV it was REAL bad. "What's social media?" and often people running were only even google-able because a new article listed them as "running." Then you have cases where the only time I found information about someone running for some type of office was because they were arrested for attempted murder and acquitted by someone else running for sheriff. So both people were running for different positions but could easily pat each other on the back in their new positions.
Now I'm in Colorado and it's bonkers. We get mail in ballots, and multiple packets in advance of the ballots explaining who everyone running is and what each thing you vote in is about and the arguments for/against each measure.
Look up their party affiliation and/or which Governor appointed them.
If it's R, big 'NO' for retaining judgeship. If Rick Scott appointed you, begone.
I had to look up two different candidates being elected to our local school board and found out one of them was a DeVos apostle.
I have to say I highly enjoyed voting by mail so I had the time to research the ballot in real-time. It took me 20 minutes to vote at the polls last time because I sat on my phone doing the same thing.
If it's R, big 'NO' for retaining judgeship. If Rick Scott appointed you, begone.
I had to look up two different candidates being elected to our local school board and found out one of them was a DeVos apostle.
I have to say I highly enjoyed voting by mail so I had the time to research the ballot in real-time. It took me 20 minutes to vote at the polls last time because I sat on my phone doing the same thing.
If they were appointed by a Trump stooge like Desantis, I assume they are bad and I vote no.
Problem solved.
OP
OP
My mother and I took turns googling every judge on the ballot and whoever was appointed by Doug Ducey or is clearly Republican we voted no. And the ones we couldn't find anything on we voted no just in case. All Dems voted yes.
I've always been able to find some background or a voting guide on anyone running for office, no matter how local. If you aren't already, it's good to make a habit of looking up who's on your ballot and doing some googling before heading to the polls. Judges especially I feel don't get serious vetting from most voters when they really should.
I only vote for things I'm informed on. Since I almost never vote based on political party I tend to skip many options.
I try and do a little research where I can on things like judges and other elected offices, but if they run unopposed, I don't vote for them.
Thanks Mitch!
I assume this depends on the state or locality, but I don't think I've ever seen a voter guide outside of mailers that state democrats want to kill babies, hate cops, and are literally the spawn of Satan.
Thanks Mitch!
