Oh sure, you’re bombarded with political mailers and phone calls and campaign signs for weeks running up to every election.
But where can you get meaningful information to help you make the right choices if you’re like Peppers café cashier Naomi Kautsch and want your voice to be heard?
A candidate’s own website is often a good source. There are other sources, however, that can be helpful as well.
- Ballotpedia: http://ballotpedia.org/ This is a trove of information, particularly for incumbents, listing committee assignments, top contributors and endorsements, as well as “report cards” by interest groups.
- Project Vote Smart http://votesmart.org/ Type in your zip code and research a list of politicians who represent you, from Congress to statewide candidates and local candidates.
- Ballot initiatives: http://lwvaz.org/files/2014lwvguide.pdf The guide provides background, as well as pro and con arguments, on the three statewide ballot propositions, including a question on legislative salaries and the use of investigational drugs for terminally ill patients.
- Ballot question on building a new animal shelter: http://webcms.pima.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=83071 Pima County is not allowed to advocate for the shelter, but can provide factual information on the effort to renovate and rebuild the County’s only open admission animal shelter.
- Media coverage: Access the Arizona Daily Star’s election coverage at http://tucson.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/ or stories by Arizona Public Media at https://news.azpm.org/yourvote2014/
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