Campaign ads and social media posts tell you what candidates want you to know. Doing your own research reveals what they have actually done, who funds their campaigns, and where they truly stand on the issues that matter to you. The good news is that a wealth of reliable, nonpartisan information is freely available online. Here is how to find and use it.
In any given election, you may be asked to choose between candidates for dozens of offices -- from president and U.S. senator down to school board member and county commissioner. While high-profile races receive extensive media coverage, many down-ballot races get very little attention, leaving voters to make decisions with limited information.
Researching candidates before you vote helps you move beyond name recognition, party labels, and campaign rhetoric. It allows you to evaluate whether a candidate's track record matches their promises, understand who is financially supporting their campaign, and compare candidates on the specific issues you care about.
Taking even 30 minutes to research your ballot before election day can dramatically improve the quality of your choices -- and send a signal to elected officials that voters are paying attention.
For incumbents -- candidates who already hold office -- their voting record is the most objective measure of where they stand. Campaign promises are aspirational; votes are facts.
Congress.gov is the official source for federal voting records. You can look up any current or former member of Congress, see every vote they have cast, view the bills they have sponsored or co-sponsored, and read their committee assignments. Search by name, state, or district to find your officials.
For state legislators, check your state legislature's official website, which publishes roll call votes and bill sponsorship records. Many states provide searchable databases. You can also use our guide to finding your state legislators as a starting point.
Candidates without a voting record can still be evaluated. Look at their official campaign website for stated policy positions. Review any endorsements they have received from organizations, as these signal alignment with particular policy agendas. Check for past public statements, op-eds, or interviews. Many candidates participate in questionnaires published by local newspapers or civic organizations.
Campaign finance information reveals who is funding a candidate's campaign. While donations do not automatically equal influence, patterns in funding can highlight whose interests a candidate may be more responsive to once in office. Federal law requires candidates and political committees to disclose their donors and expenditures.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) maintains a public database of all campaign contributions and expenditures for federal candidates. You can search by candidate name to see who has donated to their campaign, how much they have raised, and how they are spending their funds. The FEC's website includes individual contributions above a disclosure threshold, PAC contributions, and party committee support.
Each state has its own campaign finance disclosure requirements and maintains its own database. These are typically found through the secretary of state's office or a state elections commission. Disclosure requirements vary by state, but most require candidates to report their donors and expenditures on a regular basis.
When reviewing campaign finance data, consider: What industries or interest groups are the largest contributors? Is the candidate funded primarily by small individual donations, large individual donations, or PAC money? Are there significant contributions from outside the candidate's district or state? These patterns can provide useful context for evaluating a candidate's priorities and potential influences.
Nonpartisan voter guides compile candidate information in one place, making it easier to compare candidates side by side without the spin of campaign messaging. These guides are produced by civic organizations that do not endorse candidates.
Vote.gov is the federal government's official voting resource. It provides state-by-state information on voter registration, absentee voting, and finding your polling place. While it does not provide candidate guides, it is the best starting point for ensuring you are registered and know where to vote.
Many local organizations, such as the League of Women Voters and your local newspaper, publish voter guides that include candidate questionnaire responses, information about ballot measures, and polling place details. These guides are particularly valuable for down-ballot races that receive little media attention.
Not every organization that claims to be nonpartisan truly is. When evaluating a voter guide, check whether the organization endorses candidates (a partisan signal), whether it presents candidates' own words or editorializes, and whether it covers all candidates on the ballot or only selected ones. Reliable nonpartisan guides present factual information and let voters draw their own conclusions.
During campaign season, candidates and their supporters make a wide range of claims -- about their own record, about their opponents, and about policy outcomes. Evaluating these claims critically is one of the most important skills for an informed voter.
When a candidate claims credit for a policy outcome, check whether they actually voted for the relevant legislation, sponsored it, or played a meaningful role. Official records on Congress.gov can verify federal claims. For state-level claims, check your state legislature's official records.
Political claims often cherry-pick data or present facts without context. A candidate might accurately cite a single vote but omit the broader context -- such as voting against a larger bill that contained the provision, or voting for a bill that included many unrelated provisions. When evaluating claims about voting records, look at the full bill and the circumstances surrounding the vote.
Attack ads, whether from campaigns or outside groups, are designed to persuade, not inform. They frequently take opponents' words or votes out of context, use misleading statistics, or attribute blame for complex outcomes to a single individual. Before forming an opinion based on an attack ad, verify the specific claims using official records and independent sources.
For each candidate on your ballot, try to answer these questions: What is their professional background? If an incumbent, how have they voted on issues important to you? Who are their major donors? What do nonpartisan sources say about them? Do their stated positions match their record? Spending a few minutes per candidate with these questions will give you a much stronger foundation for your vote.
Look up your elected officials and see how they are representing you.
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